Garfield to the presidency in 1880, Judge William II. Robertson, of our county, was a Republican s figure." The conspicuouconvention which faction thethe between by e Garfield a compromisof was nomination national Roscot of leadership the under which, that and Blaine Mr. favored Colliding, urged a third term for General Grant. At the Republican State convention held to select delegates to the national convention Conkling had overcome all opposition and secured the choice of a delegation bound by the unit rule. Judge Robertson, however, with several other friends of Blaine, undertook to dispute the Colliding supremacy and break the unit rule. The determined spirit thus inshown by an element of the party in New York was one of the strumentalities which prevented Conkling from forcing Grant's After Garfield's nomination and led to the selection of Garfield.

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inauguration one of his first acts was the appointment of Judge Robertson as collector of the port of New York. This gave mortal offense to Mr. Conkling, and impelled him to resign his scat in the United States senate and appeal to his New York constituents for vindication -- a proceeding in which he was joined by his colleague, Mr. Piatt. Hence resulted the bitter feeling which first caused a lunatic to assassinate the president, and subsequently brought the

WILLIAM

H.

ROBERTSON.

the Democratic party back to power. Judge Robertson's part inwith political strife of those memorable times has been reviewed great fairness and discrimination in a public address by the Hon. Chauncey M. Depew.1 In theVear 1880 works for increasing New York City's water supply from Westchester County were commenced, which are still in progress; for although the new Croton Aqueduct was completed in 1891, 1 See Smith's Manual of Westchester County,