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and at that youthful age he takes strong ground for the protection of American industry. His first child, who died in infancy, was named for Henry Clay. This was the early school of one who was afterward to have a much more enlarged sphere.

With his hard-earned savings and the money he had obtained by mortgaging his farm to study law, he at last passed his examination in 1845, and having been admitted, retired to his room at his boarding house in Camden, shut the door, threw himself on the bed greatly depressed, wondering where his bread was to come from without a single client, when there came a knock on the door and a client appeared in the person of Mr. Benjamin Cooper, of Camden county, engaging him for a case of which there were perhaps few men able or willing to undertake, from its difficulty and danger, in which all the instincts of humanity required a speedy action. A free colored family of Burlington county, personally known to Mr. Dudley, had been kidnapped into slavery, a mother and three children, and had been rapidly driven away on the road South. Members of the Society of Friends of Burlington county hastily met together and subscribed, it is said, a thousand dollars to buy back the woman and her children. The difficulty then arose, who was to pursue the fleeing kidnappers and their victims and redeem the captives, a most dangerous task in those days for a Northerner to venture across the border on such an errand of mercy and of justice.

Mr. Cooper informed his coadjutors that he knew such a man, who had just passed the bar, whose sympathies were with the Abolitionists, and, above all, possessed the energy and determination necessary; who knew, besides, the captives, as the woman had often worked on his mother's farm when he was a child. Disguising himself in the character of a slave trader, who were often Northern men from the borders, Mr. Dudley procured a large broad-brimmed hat, a whip, and taking a pair of pistols he followed the track of the fugitives and was so fortunate as to discover them near the Head of Elk, in Maryland. He gave out that he was from a distant part of the country buying slaves to take South. The sale was not accomplished without its dangers, for presuming he must have a large sum of money with him, he overheard a plot to rob him, and sat up all night in the hotel with his pistols before him on the table. Keeping up the character of a slave trader, he had behaved so roughly to the woman and her child that they did not recognize him and took him for what he pretended to be. He ordered them to be locked up safely until he could take them away in the morning. The poor woman, overcome with fear, reluctantly followed. Making a detour south to deceive the kidnappers, it was not until on the boat at Wilmington, Del., that he asked the poor creature if she did not know him, and received for a reply, "All she wanted to." Her fears turned to joy when he said, "Don't you remem ber Nancy Dudley's little boy, Tom, who used to play pranks on the cows you milked at Evesham and make them kick the pail over?" And when he told her she was going home, her happiness can be imagined.

PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXXIV. 147. N. PRINTED MAY 20, 1895.

We give below a copy of the deed of sale,* with a feeling of earnest thankfulness that a bill for a slave is no longer a possibility in this country. Of the other children, a boy and a girl, it is said the boy was advertised for sale in Baltimore, and was bought by Mr. Dudley for ninety dollars, before the sale came off. The girl was purchased by a lady in Balti

more.

The West Jersey Mail, a weekly paper of Camden, records his marriage in its issue of Wednesday, March 11, 1846, as follows: "In this city, on fourth day evening last, 4 inst. by Friends' ceremony, Thomas H. Dudley to Emmaline, daughter of Seth Matlack."

She was a faithful and devoted wife, the mother of three children, who survived infancy-Edward, Mary, and Ellen. Mrs. Dudley died at Madrid, Spain, February 9, 1881, regretted by all who knew her as a woman of a happy disposition and kindness of heart, with many qualities serviceable to her husband in his career.

In July, 1848, he was admitted a counselor-at-law. While practicing law and engaging in politics his acquaintance began with such men as the late Henry C. Carey, David Davis (afterwards Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States), Judge Ephraim Marsh, and others active in political life, which acquaintance ripened into friendship and lasted to the end of their lives.

In the beginning of the decade of 1850 we find among his correspondence, numerous letters in the minute hand of the eminent writer on the tariff, Mr. Carey, above mentioned, largely upon this subject, of whom he was an apt pupil.

In 1851 he was elected City Treasurer of Camden, and in the years 1856 and 1857, City Solicitor; in 1856, Chairman of the Republican State Executive Committee of New Jersey.

Mr. Dudley was one of the number of those saved in the burning of the ferryboat New Jersey on Saturday evening, March 15, 1856. This calamity was one of the most terrible which had ever occurred in this vicinity. It was brought prominently before the inhabitants of the two cities, Camden and Philadelphia, by the drifting of the steamboat in flames, in full view of thousands of spectators from both sides of the river, who could see the unfortunate passengers when near Philadelphia

* Know All Men by These Presents that I, William E. Chance of the county of Caroline, State of Maryland, for the consideration of one hundred and fifty dollars current money, to me in hand paid by Thomas H. Dudley of the State of New Jersey, the receipt whereof I hereby acknowledge, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened, and delivered, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, and deliver unto the said Thomas H. Dudley my negro slave Maria Johnson and her child Susan about 16 months old, which said slaves Maria and Susan I will warrant and defend to the said Thomas H. Dudley, his executors and administrators and assigns against me, my executors and administrators and against every other person or persons whatsoever. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my name and affirmed my seal this eighteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-five.

In the presence of

I. M. BERNARD.

} Signed,

WILLIAM E. CHANCE. (Seal)

1895.]

[Potts.

leap one by one into the water, driven over by the fire, and could distinctly hear their cries. The solemn sound of the State House bell, the ringing of the firebells in both cities, and the lurid glare which lighted up the Delaware, added to the horrible scene, of which the writer was one of the eye-witnesses from the Camden shore. The pilot box was the first part of the vessel to catch, and consequently the boat soon became unmanageable. Loaded with heavy wagons and a hundred passengers returning to their homes in Camden, nearly fifty persons, it is said, were lost. Finally driven by the flames, Mr. Dudley, throwing away his overcoat to sink more easily and avoid the paddle-wheels which struck many, sprang as far as possible from the side of the vessel, and came up in a mass of crushed ice, which gave but a partial support. It was in this situation that he saw many leap into the water, their clothes on fire and their cries most agonizing-a scene which naturally had an effect upon his nervous system, and one never to be forgotten, of which he rarely ever spoke. Shouting until his cries grew faint, he was despairing and overcome with cold, when several men in a boat which put out from the Philadelphia side, rescued him, and he was carried in a state of apparent death to the hotel at Arch street wharf, where all efforts to bring him to life seemed in vain. Mr. Albert S. Markley, of Camden, a well-known director in the Camden & Amboy Railroad, happening in, recognized him, and after long and persistent efforts, though told it was no use, the man was dead, restored him to consciousness. Mr. Dudley was then in his thirty-sixth year.

In 1860 he was Chairman of the State Executive Committee of New Jersey.

"In 1880 he was chosen as one of the Senatorial delegates from the State at large, in the memorable convention at Chicago, which nominated Abraham Lincoln for President. He was a member of the committee which framed the platform adopted by that convention, and it was he who introduced the plank favoring incidental protection to American manufactures and was mainly instrumental in carrying it through the convention. He supported Mr. Lincoln as a candidate for nomination, in opposition to Mr. Seward, and took a prominent part in bringing about that nomination.

"The manner in which this nomination was effected, and Mr. Dudley's part therein, is thus related by Charles P. Smith in Beecher's (Trenton) Magazine. As these are facts of historic interest, we give the account in full." [We shall introduce Mr. Smith's account by a few words from Mr. Isaac H. Bromley's striking and vivid paper, with the same title, in Scribner's Magazine for November, 1893, a spectator as a journalist in the scenes which he describes. He was afterward one of the editors of the New York Tribune. Mr. Bromley says, "The Chicago Convention of 1860 was much more than an organized body of delegates, its work much more than that of nominating candidates. Its transactions overshadowed in importance, outreached in consequences, and transcended in resuits those of any assembly of men that was ever gathered on this con

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[April 19, tinent. I shall not stop to answer the reader's rising thought of Philadel phia and 1776." This is strong language, but Mr. Bromley impresses the reader with its truth. Both narratives, though widely different in their style, deserve a place in the history of this important occasion. ]

"THE NOMINATION OF LINCOLN.

"As a member of the 'Opposition State Executive Committee' I signed a call for a State Convention in Trenton, on March 8, 1860, for the purpose of selecting delegates to the National Convention at Chicago. At that period there was a respectable and extremely active portion of the party in East Jersey in favor of nominating Mr. Seward for the Presidency and seeking to secure for him the vote of this State in convention. Aside from the Presidential question, it was highly important that we achieve success in our own State, and this, I felt confident, could not be accomplished with Mr. Seward as our Presidential candidate. It occurred to me that our proper course would be to hold the vote of the State on Mr. Dayton, and possibly give him the nomination. At all events, it might at least aid in nominating a candidate with whom success in this State was possible. Mr. Thomas H. Dudley came into the Supreme Court office one day on professional business, and I called his attention to what I deemed the unfortunate tendency of affairs. He coincided with me in opinion, but argued that the loss of the State under the circumstances was unavoidable —at least he perceived no recourse. I suggested that we start a candidate in our own State, to hold the vote, and named the Hon. William L. Dayton. Mr. Dudley, after some consideration, assented. I then advised holding a caucus of leading men of the party to give force to the movement, whereupon Mr. Dudley agreed to notify such gentlemen in the First Congressional District as he might deem proper and I was to summon from the State at large. We thus assembled some sixty prominent Jerseymen at Jones' Hotel, Chestnut street, Philadelphia. I also spent considerable time in securing the attendance of a number of active Philadelphia Republican politicians. My object was to induce them to join in the movement; but they preferred Mr. Cameron. As far as their cooperation was concerned, the movement was without success. Abraham Browning. Esq., of Camden, presided at the meeting, and after considerable discussion, in which Mr. Dudley took by far the most prominent part, the Jerseymen present unanimously determined to use their best efforts to secure delegates in favor of Mr. Dayton. The effect of this meeting was fully manifested in the State Convention. But a small moiety of the East Jersey delegates were for Mr. Seward, while the large majority were decidedly for Mr. Dayton. Mr. Dudley was selected as a delegate from the First District, and at Chicago was one of the most prominent and active members of the New Jersey delegation, exercising all necessary influence in holding the vote of his State for Mr. Dayton until he was able to cast it for Mr. Lincoln, and practically give him the nomination.

"It was conceded early in the session of the convention that there were four doubtful States-New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois and Pennsylvaniaand it was necessary to carry at least two of these States in order to nominate a candidate other than Mr. Seward. New Jersey presented Mr. Dayton; Pennsylvania, Mr. Cameron; and Indiana and Illinois, Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Seward was the first choice of a majority of the New England States, but the event disclosed that they preferred the triumph of principle to the success of their favorite. A committee of these States, headed by Ex-Governor Andrew, waited upon the New Jersey delegation at their rooms, and declared that Mr. Seward was their choice, but if he could not carry the doubtful States they were willing to go for any one else who could, but added, 'Gentlemen, you see our difficulty; you are not agreed among yourselves, but present three different candidates. Now, if you will unite upon some one man who can carry them, then we will give him enough votes in the convention to nominate him. If you continue divided we shall go into the convention and vote for Mr. Seward, our first choice.' It was narrowed down to this; the four doubtful States must unite upon a candidate or Mr. Seward would be nominated. The convention assembled Wednesday morning, without change in this state of affairs. Mr. Dudley was assigned a place on the committee to frame a platform, and kept busy until Thursday noon. At that time the four doubtful States assembled at Cameron Hall to endeavor to unite upon some person. Ex-Governor Reeder presided. It was a noisy assemblage, and it very soon became evident that nothing could be accomplished as affairs then stood. Mr. Dudley then proposed to Mr. Judd, of Illinois, that the matter should be referred to a committee of three from each of the four States. He made a motion to this effect which was carried. Among those appointed were Judge David Davis, Caleb B. Smith, David Wilmot and William B. Mann, of Pennsylvania. On the part of New Jersey, Judge Ephraim Marsh, Hon. F. T. Frelinghuysen and Mr. Dudley. The committee met at six P. M. in Mr. Wilmot's room and were in session until nearly ten P.M. before anything was accomplished. At that time it seemed that an adjournment would be carried without arriving at an understanding. The time had been consumed ia talking and trying to persuade each other that their favorite candidates were the most available and best qualified. It was then that Mr. Greeley went to the door, and finding no agreement had been reached, telegraphed to the Tribune that Mr. Seward would certainly be nominated the next morning as the Republican candidate.

"Finding that the committee was about to separate without achieving any result, Mr. Dudley took the floor, and proposed that it should be ascertained which one of the three candidates had the greatest actual strength before the convention, and could carry the greatest number of delegates from the four States in the event of dropping the other two. Judge Davis stated as to Mr. Lincoln's vote on the first ballot, and the probable vote of the Illinois delegates, in the event of Mr. Lincoln being