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Charles Tracey
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Charles Tracey
Charles Tracey (May 27, 1847 – March 24, 1905) was a U.S. Representative from New York.
Born in Albany, New York, Tracey graduated from The Albany Academy in 1866. He served in the Papal Zouaves at Rome, Italy between 1867 and 1870 and was taken prisoner during the capture of Rome by the Italian Army. Returning to the United States after his release, Tracey engaged in the distilling business, joining his father's firm John Tracey & Co. in Albany. For his service to the Papal States, he was made a chevalier of the order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Pius IX in 1871.
Tracey was appointed aide-de-camp to Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York with the rank of colonel on January 1, 1875. He was appointed commissary-general of subsistence to Governor Lucius Robinson with the rank of brigadier general on January 1, 1877. This appointment earned him the lifelong title "General". Tracey was later appointed to the Board of Managers of the House of Refuge in Hudson, New York, by Governor Grover Cleveland and reappointed by David B. Hill in 1886.
Tracey was elected as a Democrat to the Fiftieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nicholas T. Kane. He was reelected to the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses and served from November 8, 1887, to March 3, 1895. After redistricting based on the results of the 1890 United States census, his home seat shifted from the 19th to the 20th congressional district prior to the 1892 elections for the Fifty-third Congress. In 1894, Tracey was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Fifty-fourth Congress.
The major accomplishment of his first term was funding the expansion of Watervliet Arsenal to produce large-bore cannon for the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps in September 1888. This project had been under discussion in previous congresses, having been originally recommended by the War Department in 1884. During subsequent terms, Tracey introduced and shepherded passage of measures to strengthen enforcement of the eight-hour workday at federal government offices and jobsites and to implement a project to deepen the Hudson River, permitting sea-going vessels to travel as far north as Albany and Troy, New York.
In 1894, Tracey was one of six congressmen to vote in favor of a single tax amendment to the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act. Proposed by Georgist and fellow Democrat James G. Maguire of California, it was intended as a substitute for the bill's proposed income tax. It would have levied a direct tax of $31,311,125 on land values nationwide. After this was rejected, Tracey voted in favor of the original version of the bill, but did not vote on the final version sent back by the Senate several months later.
Returning to Albany in 1895, Tracey was reappointed to the Board of Managers of the House of Refuge by Governor Levi P. Morton. He also resumed his business activities in Albany and Rochester, New York.
Suffering from a liver ailment, Tracey went to Watkins Glen, New York in late December 1904 for treatment. Returning to his home in Albany, he died there at the age of 57 on March 24, 1905. Tracey was interred in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands, New York.
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Charles Tracey
Charles Tracey (May 27, 1847 – March 24, 1905) was a U.S. Representative from New York.
Born in Albany, New York, Tracey graduated from The Albany Academy in 1866. He served in the Papal Zouaves at Rome, Italy between 1867 and 1870 and was taken prisoner during the capture of Rome by the Italian Army. Returning to the United States after his release, Tracey engaged in the distilling business, joining his father's firm John Tracey & Co. in Albany. For his service to the Papal States, he was made a chevalier of the order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Pius IX in 1871.
Tracey was appointed aide-de-camp to Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York with the rank of colonel on January 1, 1875. He was appointed commissary-general of subsistence to Governor Lucius Robinson with the rank of brigadier general on January 1, 1877. This appointment earned him the lifelong title "General". Tracey was later appointed to the Board of Managers of the House of Refuge in Hudson, New York, by Governor Grover Cleveland and reappointed by David B. Hill in 1886.
Tracey was elected as a Democrat to the Fiftieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nicholas T. Kane. He was reelected to the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses and served from November 8, 1887, to March 3, 1895. After redistricting based on the results of the 1890 United States census, his home seat shifted from the 19th to the 20th congressional district prior to the 1892 elections for the Fifty-third Congress. In 1894, Tracey was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Fifty-fourth Congress.
The major accomplishment of his first term was funding the expansion of Watervliet Arsenal to produce large-bore cannon for the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps in September 1888. This project had been under discussion in previous congresses, having been originally recommended by the War Department in 1884. During subsequent terms, Tracey introduced and shepherded passage of measures to strengthen enforcement of the eight-hour workday at federal government offices and jobsites and to implement a project to deepen the Hudson River, permitting sea-going vessels to travel as far north as Albany and Troy, New York.
In 1894, Tracey was one of six congressmen to vote in favor of a single tax amendment to the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act. Proposed by Georgist and fellow Democrat James G. Maguire of California, it was intended as a substitute for the bill's proposed income tax. It would have levied a direct tax of $31,311,125 on land values nationwide. After this was rejected, Tracey voted in favor of the original version of the bill, but did not vote on the final version sent back by the Senate several months later.
Returning to Albany in 1895, Tracey was reappointed to the Board of Managers of the House of Refuge by Governor Levi P. Morton. He also resumed his business activities in Albany and Rochester, New York.
Suffering from a liver ailment, Tracey went to Watkins Glen, New York in late December 1904 for treatment. Returning to his home in Albany, he died there at the age of 57 on March 24, 1905. Tracey was interred in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands, New York.
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