Evening journal., 1914-02-05
NEW MEMS OF YESTERDAY
How Tilden Secured the
Nomination of 1OratiO
seymour
By Holland.

Three chief Justices of the highest
court OF New York State were az one
time or another prominently identi-
fled with important politics. In two
cases this centcred upon the nomina-
ton for President OF the United
States, and In one case the nolnina-
tion for Governor Of New York State
These three we're Sanford y. Church
Charles }. Foyer and Alton b. Par
ker With two of these IL was my
good fortune to have had adquaint-
ance. and in the case of one of them,
Judge Folgcr. friendly relations.
In 1868 Sanford b.. Church was de-
clared 10 be the choice of the Demo-
cratic Organization of New York
State for the Presidential nomination
at the national convention which was
held In New York m the spring Of
that year. Judge Folger was sup
ported with what seemed to be enthu-
siasm. until suddenly his name was
withdrawn, and the New York dele
cation. under the leadership of Sam
uel J. Tilden. sprung" as the saying
is the namo OF Horatio Seymour, al
though Governor Seymour was at
that moment presiding over the ma
tional convention.
A long friendship which il was my
good fortune TO enjoy with the late
Judge Noah Davis made It possible
for me TO obtain much OF the inner
history of New York politics between
1850 and 1880. Judge Davis was for
some years the law partner of San
ford Il. Church, and, although Judge
Church remained stanchly Demo-
cratic throughout the war days,
being always pleased when he was
spoken of as a Democrat of the early
school Of William Marcy and Silas
White and Martin Van Buren,, yet
his partner, Judge Davis, became at
the organization OF the Republican
party a warm supporter of the prin-
ciples laid down IN the Republican
national platform of 1868. Political
differences impaired in no way the
personal friendship Of these two men.
"I asked Judge Davis one day if
Judge Church was disappointed or
in any manner humiliated by the sud
den withdrawal OF his name from the
Democratic national convention of
1868 and the substitution OF the name
of HoratiO Seymour, who was nomi-
mated.
"Judge Church never had the
slightest illusion about the politics
which associated his name with the
Democratic nomination for President
in 1885, Judge Davis said in reply.
Had he been entirely free he would
not have permitted the use Of his
name. He had just been elected as
the first chief justice of the newly
organized Court of Appeals OF New
York State. His term was fourteen
years, and his post of chief Justice
was one that was wholly congenial
to him.
Judge Church had been pretty
well trained in New York State poll
tics. He had been lieutenant-goveru
or, ana earlier, comptroller of the
State at a time when the comptroll-
ership was very important office.
IL was a stepping-stOne to the presi-
dency for Martin Van Buren and
Millard Fillmore, and many gov
ernors of New York received their
first State training in that office.
Therefore Judge Church was not
so unskilled in politics as some men
who had been exclusively devoted TO
The practice Of the law were He
knew, and he once told me that he
knew, that his name was being used
as Dllnd. lie had o profound re-
gard and respect for the political
abilities of Samuel J. Tnden, and he
knew that IL was due in great meas
ure to Mr. Tilden's influence that he
was nominated and elected chief JUS
tice He. therefore, did not feel JUS
titled IN sending word to Tilden that
no use must be made of his name
"He told me, however. that he had
been grievously mistaken in one
thing He was convinced that his
name was used for the real plan of
Tilden. and the other Democrats.
which was the nomination of the chief
justice OF the Supreme Court at
Washington. Salmon p. Chase, and
that il was not until the New York
delegation switched over to Horatio
Seymour that the real candidate OF
Tilden and his associates was known.
"He said to me: 4 never dreamed
that Seymour was the man they were
after, for was certain that Tilden
wanted to nominate Salmon j.
Chase"