Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-06-29
r THE VICE-PRESIDENT.
A Sketch of the Public Life of
William A. Wheeler.
From the New York Times, June II.


Congressman William A. Wheeler
who has been nominated for the otfic
of Vice President, is the Represent
ative in Congress from the Nine
teenth District of this State, and
from his training and experience il
public life, he is we'll fitted for the of
flee. He has been, for over a quarte
of a century, engaged in pursuit,
which eminently qualify him for the
high Office to which he has beer
nominated. He has been, since the
death of the Whig party, consist
ent Republican, and his experienc,
as State Legislator and as mem
Der of Congress for five terms is &
sufficient guarantee of his fitness fnl
the position. In this State, and es
pecially in his own county of Frank
lin, his character stands very high
and in his capacity of Chairman Of
the Congressional Committee which
went to New Orleans in the winter oi
1874 to settle the Louisiana Difficult.
ties, he showed considerable execu-
tive ability and sound sense, which
did much to bring about q peaceable
settlement of the question then at is
sue between the opposing factions.
Mr.. Wheeler was born in Malone,
Franklin county, in this State, June
30, 1919, and is consequently in his
tiity-seventh year. He received a
common school and academic educa-
tion in his native town, and subse-
quently entered the University of
Vermont, which he left in the year
1872 without graduating. He next
studied law, an'l having been called
to the bar he commenced the practice
of his profession in his native coun-
ty with considerable success. He
showed marked ability in his profes-
sion, and in Il few years was offered
the nomination of District Attorney
by the Democrats of Franklin coun-
tv. He accepted the nomination, and
was elected. He discharged the du-
ties of his office in an able and i'm
partial manner, and at the expira-
tion of his term Of office he was re
quested to become candidate for
the Assembly in the Wing interest.
Mr.. Wheeler threw himself into the
contest warmly, and was elected.
He only served one term, however,
and at its close gave up for time
public life TO business pursuits. He
became Cashier of the bank in his
native town, and for fourteen years
remained connected with it, display
ing judicious Judgment in all his
transactions, and winning the esteem
and confidence OF all who had bust
ness relations with him. He also
became interested in railroads, and
was elected President of the North
ern New York Railroad, which posi-
tion he held for eleven years. At the
death of the old Whig party, Mr..
Wheeler became Republican, and
in the year 1858 he was elected to the
State Senate, of which he was made
temporary President, a distinguished
mark of the confidence in which he
was held by the Republican party,
who then for the first time fully con-
trolled the Legislature. Mr.. Wheeler
was an active member of the Senate
during his term of office, and his
ability and integrity were so well
that his party removed
him to n higher sphere of political
duty by electing him rs their Repre-
TO the Thirty-seventh Con
gress, from the then Sixteenth DIS
trict, comprising the counties of
Clinton, Essex and Franklin. Mr..
Wheeler proved himself a faithful
representative, consistently support
ing the Republican party, aud aiding
in all measures for the suppression OF
the rebellion. After this term in
Congress had expired, Mr.. Wheeler
retired into private life for four or
five years, but in the spring of 1867
he was again called to take an active
part in politics. He was elected in
April, 1867, member of the State
Constitutional Convention, and at its
the following June, he
again received a distinguished mark
Of public favor by being elected to
the position of Chairman of the Con
In the fall of 1867 Dir.
was nominated and elected
to the Forty-first Congress from the
District, comprising
Franklin and st. Lawrence counties,
and since that date he has sat contln
uousIy in Congress up to the present
time. In the Forty-first Congress
Mr.. Wheeler was Chairman of the
ON the Pacific Railroad,
which Office he also held in the For
,y-second Congress, and in the last
Congress he was chairman of the
on Appropriations. Du-
ing the Forty third Congress in. the
winter of 1874, he was, as already
stated, appointed chairman of the
Committee which went
% New Orleans to settle the disturb
ng questions which then prevailed in
and it was mainly owing
% his exertions that's peaceable set
,lement was obtained, and that what
s known as as the "Wheeler Com
promise" was accepted by both par
ties in the Louisiana Legislature.
The compromise agreed upon BY the