Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1891 — HANNIBAL HAMLIN. [ARTICLE]

HANNIBAL HAMLIN.

The Venerable Ex-Vice-Presi-dent Dies Suddenly. Stricken While Enjoying • Boelnl Gama of Cards, at Bangor, Maine—Brief Biography, Ex-Vice-l’resident Hannibal Hamlin died July 4. He was playing pedro at the Tarrantine club rooms when his head fell forward on his breast Physicians were called and every attempt made to revive him. He lingered until! 8:5 p. m. and then passed peacefully away. Hannibal Hamlin was born in Paris,Oxford county, Maine, August 27. 1809. Although fitted in early life for a collgiate education, the death of his father made it incubent on Hannibal to look after the farm. However, he found time to learn printing, and later studied law, being ad mitted to the bar in 1833, He practiced at Hampden until 1848. From 1830 to 1840 he was a member of the Maine Legislature, returning again in 1847. In 1837, 1839 and 1840 he was Speaker of the House, In the latter year receiving a Democratic nomination to Congress. He was elected to Congress in 1842 and again in 1844. The death of John Fairfield permitted Hamlin’s selection to the United States Senate in 1348 as the formers successor. He was elected to the Senate in 1851, but resigned in 1857 to be inaugurated Governcr of Maine, having been elected on the Republican ticket. A month later he resigned to return to the Senate, where he served until 1861, when he was elected Vice-President on the tick et with Abraham Lincoln, lie presided over the Senate until 1865, He next served a year as Collector of the port at Boston. In 1870 he was appointed regent of the Smithsonian Institution, and served twelve veers. He bad been again elected to the United States Senate in 1869, and was re-elected, serving until 1881, tn which year he went as Minister to Spain. The following year he gave up the office and returned to this country. While an original Democrat, he was a strong anti-slavery man, and was thus forced to leave the party. Mr. Hamlin did not seek the abolition of slavery.advocating only the restriction of the institution. I After being elected Vice-President with Mr. Lincoln, he visited the latter In Chicago, meeting him personally for the first time. The two men exchanged ideas and confidential views on the than ail-ab«orb-Ing topic, the approaching war, and Hamlin at on-' became a warm pnd evarhst. Ing fr and to the martyred President. ■ > . ' /r-