Magone became a member of the
New York Canal Commission during the governorship of
Samuel Tilden, in 1875. The next year he served as chairman of the
Democratic Party (United States) state committee. During Tilden's unsuccessful run for the presidency versus
Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, he was a delegate at the
Democratic National Convention. In January 1878, he was nominated by Governor
Lucius Robinson to be
Superintendent of Public Works but was rejected by the
New York State Senate. He was again selected a delegate to the convention which nominated Cleveland in 1884. Cleveland appointed Magone
Collector of the Port of New York in 1886. ==Personal life==