Hamilton Fish

U.S. Congressperson

1808 – 1893

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Who was Hamilton Fish?

Hamilton Fish was an American statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, a United States Senator and United States Secretary of State. Fish has been considered one of the best Secretaries of State in the United States' history, known for his judiciousness and reform efforts during the Grant Administration. Fish settled the controversial Alabama Claims with Great Britain through his development of the concept of international arbitration. Fish kept the United States out of war with Spain over Cuban independence by coolly handling the volatile Virginius Incident. In 1875, Fish initiated the process for Hawaiian statehood, by having negotiated a reciprocal trade treaty for the island nation's sugar production. Fish organized a peace conference and treaty in Washington D.C. between South American countries and Spain. Fish worked with James Milton Turner, America's first African American consul, to settle the Liberian-Grebo war. President Grant stated that Hamilton Fish, above all, was the person whom he most trusted for political advice.

Fish came from a prominent wealthy New York family and attended Columbia College of Columbia University. Upon graduation, Fish passed the bar, worked as New York's commissioner of deeds, and ran unsuccessfully for New York State Assembly as a Whig candidate in 1834. After his marriage, Fish returned to New York politics in 1843 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Fish ran for New York's Lieutenant Governor in 1846, however, he was defeated by a Democratic Anti-Rent Party contender. When the office was vacated in 1847, Fish ran and was elected Lieutenant Governor. In 1848 Fish ran and was elected Governor of New York having served only one term. In 1851, Fish was elected U.S. Senator for the state of New York and served only one term. Fish gained valuable experience serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 1850s Fish became a Republican after the Whig party dissolved. In terms of the slavery issue, Fish was a moderate; having disapproved of the Kansas Nebraska Act and the expansion of slavery.

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Born
Aug 3, 1808
New York City
Spouses
Children
Religion
  • Episcopal Church
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Education
  • Columbia University
  • Columbia College of Columbia University in the City of New York
Lived in
  • New York City
Died
Sep 7, 1893
Garrison

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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