Evening journal., 1894-12-05

having immigrated to Pennsylvania.
This ancestor was a Quaker and was
Obliged To leave England on account Of
religious persecution His descendants
lived in this part of Pennsylvania until
1890, when Leon Abbetts father removed
to Philadelphia, where he learned the
trade OF halter He gave a liberal edu-
cation 70 his son Leon, who, after n term
at one Of the common schools, was grad
uated In 1853 as bachelor Of arts at tho
high school Of Philadelphia and Ave years
later received the degree Of master Of
arts.
He entered tho law Office OF John W.
Ashmead then United States district at
torney for the eastern portion Of Pennsyl-
vania, and was admitted to the pcnnsyl-
vania bar in 1867 and began tho practice
Of law in Philadelphia On his twenty
sixth birthday, Oct. s, 1862, he was mar
ried to Miss Mary Briggs Of Philadelphia
and removed from that city TO Hoboken,
N. j. His wife died IA years ago. He
took great interest In politics and joined
the Democratic party, whose cause he
served by many eloquent speeches during
tho exciting campaigns Of those troubled
times.
He was admitted to the New Jersey
sembly, representing Hoboken in the leg.
islature for two years. He was recognized
as the leader of the Democrats in tho
New Jersey assembly. On the expiration
of his second term he removed to Jersey
City, but acted as corporation counsel for
the city Of Hoboken for three years, re-
signing in 1868.
His Political Activity. 81
Al. ~.
which met in Trenton In 1868 to nomi4
nate presidential electors and a governor
he was chosen as chairman. Hew was also
corporation attorney for the town Of I'M
ion and corporation counsel for Bayonne.
In 1s69-70 he was again member Of the
assembly and during both Of those years
was speaker Of the house. In the former
year he was unanimously elected success
sor TO Judge Randolph as president OF tho
Jersey City board Of education. In 1879
he was delegate at large to the national
Democratic convention at Baltimore.
He was elected TO the state senate from
Hudson county in 1874, serving for three
terms and being chosen as president Of
that body. In April 1876, be was APP
pointed corporation counsel for Jersey
City, an Office which he held for seven
years. In the summer Of 1876 he went to
st. Louis as delegate to the national Dem
ocratlc convention. He was unanimously
recognized as an able lawyer, a skillful
politician and a very energetic man in
whatever he undertook
The Democratic state convention held
| in Trenton in 1888 nominated him for
governor on the second ballot, and he was
elected in the following November by
very large majority. He took a personal
part in the canvass, and for nearly two
months worked night and day, travelling,
speaking and supervising giving himself
less than five hours sleep each day. His
administration was noted for its able and
practical character. One Of the laws which
he strongly advocated was the general cor
poration act Of 1884, under which the d.
rect state tax is paid by corporations, and
only the school rate falls directly upon the
individual taxpayer.
Unsatisfed Ambition.
On the expiration Of his term as gov
ernor he resumed his law practice, going
/ to New York city, where he had an Office
on Broadway. He was candidate for
United States senator in 1887, but CO..
alition of disaffected Democrats and Re
| publicans in the legislature prevented his
election. But when he came before tho
people again in November 1889, as cam
didate for governor he was easily elected.
Governor Albeit had lifelong amhi-
tion to be a senator Of &c United States,
but when his last attempts was made, in
January, 1898, he could not muster votes
enough in a Democratic caucus to make
a respectable showing, and James Smith,
Jr., obtained the nomination and was
| elected
He was nominated by Governor Werts
in March, 1898, to the supreme court
bench. Although so much Of his time had
been necessarily devoted to public affairs,
| Governor Albeit did not neglect his pro-
l faesionaI dutips He xVal baad If the la4sg