In both of these bodies he was a conspicuous authority, and left a permanent impression upon the legislation of the year, and especially upon all the new constitutional provisions afl'ecting the finances of the State and the management of its system of canals. In this work he was associated, by personal and political sympath}^ most intimately with Governor Wright, Michael Hoff"man and with Azariah C. Flagg, then the controller of the State, who had all learned to value very highly his counsel and co-operation.

The defeat of Mr. Wright in the fall of 1846, and

1]

VIEWS AT •"GRAYSTONE.

YONKERS, N. Y.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

the coolness which had grown up between the friends of President Folk and the friends of the hite President Van Buren, resulted fortunately for Mr. Tilden, if not for the country, in withdrawing his attention from politics and concentrating it upon his profession. He inherited no fortune, but depended upon his own exertions for a livelihood. Thus far his labor for the State, or in his profession, had not been lucrative, and, despite his strong tastes and pre-eminent qualifications for political life, he was able to discern at that early period the importance, in this country at least, of a pecuniary independence for the successful prosecution of a ])()litical career. With an assiduity and a i concentration of energy which has characterized all the transactions of his life, he now gave himself up to his profession. It was not many years before he became as well known at the bar as he had before been known as a jiolitician. His business developed rapidly, and though he continued to take more or less interest in political mattei-s, they were not allowed after 1857 to interfere with his professional duties.