The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-03-14
secretary Of the Nayy-fsenjamin r.
Tracy, Of New York.


Tracy, of New York.
General Benjamin F. Tracy, whose ar
pointment heals the disagreement betwee
New York's diverse political elements,
a staunch Republican. though be is NOR
generally known to The public. perhaps, a
a leader of the New York bar. He wa
] brought prominently into notice in th
/ celebrated Beecher case. in which he ap
| peared as one of the cohLsel for MI
Baecher and also took the witness stand
| He was born at Oswego. Tioga county, n
y, in. 1880. and received an academic
ucation. He was admitted to he ha
| In 1851 and two years later was eeete(
district attorney of Tioga county In 1851
he was reelected over Gilbert G.. Walker
who subsequently became Governor o.
Virginia. The contest was extremely ex
lcitifg, but singularly enough, the two
Chief opponents begot warm friendship
for each other and later became partners
in the law under he firm name of Tracy
Il Walker. He served as district attorney
until 1859, when he was sent to the Assem-
bly, from the Tiosa district, served one
term and was chairman of the Census
Committee. which issued the first Repnb~
lican manifesto in the State Of New York.
He entered the army in 1862 as colonel of
the l09th Regiment of New York Volun.
teers. After leading his command through
the three days fighting 1T Spottsylyania
Courthouse, his health became completely
broken down and he yielded the command
to his lieutenant colonel. He subsequently,
accepted the'commaId of the 127th United
States Cotored Troops Upon his return
from the front he was placed in command
of the wal prison camp and draft rendez.
-yous at E mira.
+ After the close of the war he settled in
Brooklyn aud resumed the practice of his
profession. He was appointed United
States District Attorney for the Eastern
District of New y ork in 1866 by President
Johnson and again by President Grant.
He declined reappoin,ment at the end of
his second term and devoted himself to
his private practice. Ee was the regular
Republican candidate for Mayor of Brook
syn in 1881, when the Young Republican
Club and the Citizens Association also
nominated Ripley Ropes. Both withdrew
i'll favor of Seth Low, who was elected.
Governor Cornell appointed him an ASSOC
ciate judge of the Court OF Appeals in
December. 1881. and in the Fail of 1882 be
was the Republican candidate for a seat
ON the Supreme Court bench, but he was
defeated in the disastrous Folger cam.
paign, James w. Ridgway defeated him
subsequently as the Republican candidate
for district attorney. Since that time he
has devoted himself entirely to his law
practice. which is large and lucrative. He
has been counsel in many celebrated cases.
General Tracy is an intimate friend of ex.
Senator Thomas G. Platt.
Sec retary OF agriculture Jeremiah NJ.
= H.ist&. 81 Wisconsin,.
Jeremiah Mel ain Rusk is Just as old as
MIR. Elaine and like General Harrison and
Mr.. Window he was born in Ohio. He
was reared on a farm, achieved distiuc.
ton by his rare lighting qualities in the
army afteIWard served three terms in
Congress and then became the most popu-.
lar governor Wisconsin ever had. No one
can beat Rusk before the people of his
own State. THEY all know him. Born in
1880, in Morgan county, O., he lived on
farm until lie went 10 Wisconsin, in $50
1.-THE same year Mr.. Window went to Mia-
nesota), where lie continued farming until
the outbreak Of the war. He was commits.
stoned Major Of the 25t!l Wisconsin Regi-
ment, rose to the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel and served With General William
Z. Sherman from the siege Ct Vicksburg
till the close of the war. In 1865 he re-
ceved the breyet Of Brigadier General of
Volunteers for meritori1us service at the
battle CT Salkehatchie. Mr., Rusk Was
elected bank comptroller Of Wisconsin in
1866. which post he held fill 1870. il which
year he was elected member OF Congress
by the Republicans. He served three
terms, and as chairman of pensions per-
formed important services in readjusting
the pension rates. President Garfield
offered him the post OF charge affairs il,
Paraguay ard Uruguay, also of the Bureau
OF Engraving and Printing, both of which
offers he declined. LII lSS2 he was elected
governor Of Wisconsin. and was twice res
elected. Last year he declined fourth
term. During the Anarchist troubles in
the West 1t was he who so distinguished
elf'among all the governors as the
one with tirmuess to put the movement
down at the very start. His action was
so vigorous that it put a stop to the bust
ness of Anarchism in Wisconsin, aud he
was applauded all over thee ry. He
is spoken of as a prompt, firm. intelligent
and able man. He was a candidate for
presidential nomination at Chicago last
j une. His State was ssolid7' for him, but
Of course no Wisconsin mau was seriously
considered by the convention.