The morning news., 1888-03-31
POSSIBLE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR THE
PRESIDENCY.

PRESIDENCY.
The man now talked of the most as the
possible Republican candidate for the Presi-
dency is Chauncey NJ Depew, who certainly
possesses the most popular personality of
any man in his party. Mr.. Depew is said to
receive an average of ten requests day TO
deliver addresses make speeches and reply
to toasts. He is better known to the public
as a pre-eminently social man and post
prandial orator than the laborious railroad
president, who disposes of as much business
every day as it would kill many men to
undertake, and attends to the demands
some of them-of philanthropy and good
fellowship as well.
Mr.. Depew was born at Peekskill, New
York, in 1887. His ancestors for more than
200 years were farmers on the family acres
at Peekskill-rugged hardworking folk,
brought up on simple fare without dissipa
ton, luxury, or doctors. The earlier of
them were French Huguenots. Blended
with blood of that quality, he boasts the
gain of descent from the brother of signer
of the Declaration of Independence, his
mother having been Martha Mitchell,
granddaughter of the Rev. Josiah Sherman,
the New England divine. and the brother
of Roger Sherman. His father was a well
to-do citizen and had his son well taught in
preparation for college. AZ the in
tractible age III his teens Chauncey as
pired to be farmer He soon had enough
of agricultural work, however, and was
glad to escape from it to Yale, which he
entered when IS years old. He was gradu-
ated in 1856, with high honors, leaving col
lege in the stirring period that developed
the birth of the Republican party. In 1858
he was admitted to the bar and elected a
delegate to the Republican State COnven
tion. Two years later he took the stump
for Lincoln and won his first laurels as
an orator. In 1861 he went to the
New York Assembly, to be reelected
next year. He was nominated for
Secretary of State and was elected
by a majority of thirty thousand votes.
The denomination was offered and de-
clined, and then President johnson com
missioned him Collector of the Port of New
York, but afterward tore up the parchment,
in consequence of a quarrel with Senator
Edwin ID. Morgan, of New York. In the
same administration Mr. Seward offered
Depew the post of Minister to Japan. Mr..
Depew considered the appointment four
weeks, and then refused it. When, in 1872
the Greeley ticket was in the field, Mr.. De-
pew was nominated for Lieutenant Cover
nor of his State, but, with the rest of the
ticket, defeated In 1877 he was
made Regent of the State University. He
was a candidate for the United States Sen
ate in 1881. After contest of eighty-two
davs, in which he received fully three
fourths of the Republican votes, he resigned
his candidature. His connection with the
Vanderbilt railway system dates back to
1866, when he was made attorney for the
Harlem road. In 1875 he was made counsel
for the New York Central railroad, and in
1883 was elevated to the Vice Presidency,
with Mr.. Rutter in the Presidential capaci-
ty. He succeeded Mr. Rutter as President
of the road on that gentleman's death.
In personal appearance Mr.. Depew is
nearly 6 feet in height He has a large
head, high forehead, bright gray eyes, and
sandy hair and side whiskers. His frame is
compact and erect, and he moves with
rapidity. His voice has a distinct, pleasant
and fascinating tone, and he is gifted with
remarkable conversational powers. He was
married in 1871 to lady who is as much his
helpmeet now as when he was not mil
lionaire and favorite in the race for the
Presidency. Mr.. Depew lives stylishly, but
he eats and drinks with scrupulous regard
to the preservation of his health. He gave
up cigar-smolEing some years ago, as he
found that it lessened his nervous force A
church-goer and liberal in his charities, he
carries himself as a Christian gentleman
whose life accords with a just sense of duty
and responsibility.