The sun., 1902-11-09
4 Stalwart Democrat.


BY the death Of Mr. BENJAMIN KNowrn
AT his residence in New York, on Wedncs-
day, in his sixtyfourth year. the last
male survivor of family distinguished
in the politics of this State has passed
away.
He was the grandson Of BENJAMIN
kNowER one of the early members of
the Albany Regency which ruled the
Democratic party III New York during
the period from about 1870 10 IS54-that
famous band Of Democratic leaders, of
which otlcr members were NARTIN
VAN BrREN WILLIAM l.. MARCY. SILAs
WRIGHT, JohS ADAMS DIX. BENJAMIN
7. BuTLER. EDwIN CRoSwEIL. AZARIAH
c. FLAGG, DEAN RICHMOND and PETLR
CAGGtR. all of thCm names of distinct ion
in the history q, ;he Democratic party
and most of them illustrious in the his
tory Of tho Nnerican Republic.
The Albany Regency was the fore
runner of the Boss system, as we
now know il in politics. II was an
outgrowth of the system Of nominal ing
conventions, which first began To be used
in New York about $50 II was a CEN
tralization of party power which grew
up, naturally and necessarily, for the
purpose of controlling the convention
by determining It's composition and
making for II a slate of nominations
When MARTIN VAN BUREN passed from
the Governorship of this State into the
nj,
tary Of State, in 1929. he carried with
him the methods he had learned in New
York politics. and thereafter popular
conventions as nominating bodies be-
came "A feature of national Democratic
politics; and il was wholesome inno-
walton. Political influence passed from
the great families which before had
been 50 potent if not dominant in
certain of the States. The methods
Of the Albany Regency became national,
yet that body confined its attention
to the politics Of this State. not in
terfering in national politics, though it
carefully looked after the Federal patron
age in New York. As the names of the
men who welded its power indicate so
impressively, the Albany Regency was
body of great dignity and of high
personal purity and political ability.
Then the best Democratic element of the
Democratic party was in the State out
side Of the city Of New York. so far. at
least, As concerns political sagaCity and
slnglencss of purpose to further tho
interests Of the party; and the same
may be said 10 be true now.
BENJAMIN KNowER. the grandfather
Of the gentleman who died las. week,
was State Treasurer from 1871 to ls24
He was one of the largest and most sue
cessfnl OF the earlier manufacturers in
| this State. and his extensive woollen
mills gave to the town in Albany
! county where they were situated the
name Of knowersville, now changed
to Ntanont. His eldest daughter mar
ricd WILLIAM L. MARCY, and thus his
association with Democratic politics
was strengthened by family tics with
the great Democratic leader He
was Democrat OF a strength Of
political conviction which was almost
religious, and to his grandson came by
tradition n like spirit of party tenacity,
so that when the Democratic surrender
to Organism came in 1885, the Younger
kNowER mourncd as # 4 personal be-
reavemcnt had befailou han. II struck
cruel blow at every pr' ical tradition
and conviction he had nourishcd and
when he voted for MCKINLEY il was the
first vote not for Democrat he had ever
cast, or that had ever been cast hy a
kNowER for more than seventy-tiv i've
years.
In the kNowERs were the three strong
strains Of Dutch, English and Scotch
blood. They were descended from Gov
erncr BRADFORD of the MayNower Pill
grins, and at RoXbury in Massach,i-
sets is a street which bears their name.
II was sturdy, God-fearing and un-
flinching Democratic stock of which the
last male survivor died in Seventy
seventh street last Wednesday. There
| still survives. however, an only sister of
! the late Mr.. MOWER, Mrs. SAMUEL j.
! PENNIMAN of this city.
Alr, kNOWER WAS a man who of him
self was marked figure in New York. a
singularly genuine, upright and stalwart
| character, who exhibited throughout his