Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/54

* CLINTON. 38 CLINTON. vcars. appoint the iliiff of police, engineers, etc. "j'opulnlion, in IS'JO, 10,424; in 1900, 13,667. CLINTON. A town in Hinds County, Miss., nine niile:^ west-northwest of Jackson; on the Alabama and Vitksburg Kailroad. It is the seat of Mississipi)i College (Baptist), organized in 1852; of Hillnian College, established in 1853; and Mount Herman Seminary for colored stu- dents. Population, in 1900, 354. CLINTON. A city and the county-seat of Henry County, Mo., 90 miles southeast of Kan- sas City; on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, the Saint Louis and San Francisco, and the Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield railroads I Map: Missouri, C 3). It has potteries, flour- mills, and iron-rolling mills, and exports hogs, cattle, coal, and agricultural products. There is an artesian well, which has a considerable flow of white sulphur. Baird College is situ- ated there. Settled in 1835, Clinton was in- corporated as a village in 1840. and at present is governed under a general law, revised in 1899, which provides for a mayor, who holds office for two years, and a citv council. Population, in 1890,' 4737; in 1900, 5061, CLINTON. A village in Oneida County, N. Y., nine miles west-southwest of Utica; on Oriskany Creek and on the New York, Ontario and Western Kailroad (Map: Xew Y'ork, E 2). It is the seat of Hamilton College (q.v. ), Hough- ton Seminary, and the Clinton Preparatory School, There are mineral-springs here. Iron- mining and smelling are the leading industries. Population, in 1890, 1269; in 1900. 1340. CLINTON, De Witt (1769-1828). An Ameri- can statesman. He was born at Little Britain, Orange County, N. Y„ ^larch 2, 1769. the son of James Clinton, and was educated at Columbia College, graduating with high honors in 1786. Choosing the law for his vocation, he studied under Samuel .Jones, and was admitted to the bar in 1788, He entered immediately into political life, opposing the adoption of the Federal Con- stitution, and becoming an ardent supporter of his uncle, George Clinton (q.v,), who was then Governor of the State, and a leader of the Anti- Federalist Party. In 1797 he was elected to the State Assembly as a representative of Xew Y'ork City, where he made his residence, and the next year was chosen State Senator for four years. He also became a member of the Council of Ap- pointment. Up to this time the Governor had ex- ercised the exclusive right to make nominations; but Clinton vigoroiisly attacked the system, suc- ceeded in 1801 in procuring an amendment to the Constitution giving the members of the Coun- cil of Appointment equal rights of nomination with the Governor, and by this means introduced the 'spoils system' into New Y'ork politics. Dur- ing this period he found time to devote himself to scientific and social questions — especially the use of steam in navigation, and the abolition of slavery and its kindred barbarism, imprison- ment for debt. In 1802, when but thirty-three years of age, he became a member of the United States Senate, btit soon resigned to accept the office of Mayor of New York — an appointment made byhis uncle, the Governor, and the Council of Appointment; and this position he held, Avith two short intermissions, until 1815, While Mayor, he was also at various times State Sena- tor, a member of the Council of Appointment, a commissioner on the Erie Canal route, and from 1811 to 1813 Lieutenant-Governor of the State. After the retirement of his uncle from active par- ticipation in State jjolitics in 1804, he speedily became tlie leader of the Kepublican Party in Xew York, and in 1812 was chosen as its candi- date for President, Madison was nominated by the Republican Congressional Caucus: but the Xew York section of the partj', tired of Virgin- ian control, insisted on running Clinton, and made a coalition with the Federalists for that ])urpose, Clinton, however, received only 89 elec- toral votes to 128 for Madison. The canvass had been h.nrdly creditable to Clinton, and he was not lieuccforth an important figure in national politics; but as a great benefactor of his State in his later years, he won fame and success. He took a leading part in establishing the free- school system of New York City, and in the establishment and promotion of various institu- tions of science; in the improvement and modi- fication of criminal laws; in the extension of agriculture and manufactures; in the relief of the poor, and the improvement of morals. But his greatest son-ice was his promotion of the Erie Canal project. As citizen and commis- sioner, his zeal, energj', and optimism in plan- ning and tirging on the completion of this great waterway inseparably connected his name with the enterprise, both in the minds of its friends and in the minds of those who sneered at 'Clinton's Folly,' The canal becajne a political question, and on this issue Clinton was elected Gov- ernor in 1817, One of his first duties as Gov- ernor was to break ground for the canal at Rome. He was reelected in 1820, but declined a hopeless nomination in 1822. His political opponents, led by IXIartin Van Buren and the 'Albany Regency' (q.v,), sought to end his political career, and in 1824 removed him from the office of canal com- missioner. This partisan act provoked a storm of public indignation, which elected Clinton Gov- ernor in that year — an office Avhich he held until his death. The next year he opened the Erie Canal. He died suddenly, February 11, 1828, at Albany, Among his works are: Discourse Be- fore ihe Tfeic York Historical Society ; Memoir on the Aittirjiiilies of Western yew York ; Let- ters on the Xatiirril History and Internal Re- sources of Xew York ; Speeches to the Leyis- lature, and many historical and scientific addresses. Consult: Lives. Hosack (Xew Y'ork, 1829) and Renwick (New York, 1840) ; also Campbell, Life and Writinys of De Wilt Clinton (New York, 1849). CLINTON, George (1739-1812), An Ameri- can statesman, born in Little Britain, N, Y. In the Frencli and Indian Var he sei--ed as a lieu- tenant in the expedition against Fort Frontenac, and after the war entered law and politics. He was cliosen to the Colonial Assembl.v and to the Continental Congress, was made brigadier-general in the Revolutionary Army, and in 1777 was elected first Governor of Xew York. He was reelected and occupied the executive chair for eighteen years, and in 1801 was chosen for one more term. From 1805 tmtil his death he wag Vice-President of the United States. While Gov- ernor, his discretion in civil affairs and his mili- tary services were of great value to the State. He opposed the ratification of the Federal Consti- tution in the belief that it granted too great powers to the national officers, and while presid-