New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-25
Biographical Sketch Of
HON. WILLIAM A. WHEELER,
Republican Candidate for Vice Presldenl
Of the United States,

Congressman William A. Wheeler, who
has been nominated for the Office OF Vice
President, is the Representative in Congress
from the nineteenth district of this State,
and from his training and experience in
public life he is we'll fitted for the office. He
has been for over quarter of century en-.
gagged in pursuits which eminently qualify
him for the high Office to which he has been
nominated. He has been, since the death OF
the Wing party, q consistent Republican,
and his experience as State legislator aud
as member of Congress for five terms is a
sufficient guarantee of his fitness for the
his own county of Franklin. his character
stands very high, and in his capacity of
chairman Of the congressional committee
which went to New Orleans in the winter
of 1874 to settle the Louisiana difficulties
he showed considerable executive ability
and sound sense, which did much to bring
about peaceable settlement of the ques-
ton then at issue between the opposing fac
tions Mr.. Wheeler was born in Malone,
Franklin county, in this State, June 30,
1919. and is, consequently, in his fifty
seventh year. He received a common
school and academic educa ton in his ma.
! tive town, and subsequently entered the
University of Vermont, which he left in the
year 1912, without graduating. He next
| bar he commenced tho practice of his pro-
fesson n his native county with consider
. able success. He showed marked ability in
his profession, and in q few years was Of
| fered the nomination of district attorney
! by the Democrats of Franklin county. He
accepted the nomination and was elected.
He discharged the duties of his office
in an able and impartial manner, and
at the expiration of his term OF Office he
n was requested 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 q time public life to business pursuits.
He became cashier OF the bank in his ma
tive town, and for fourteen years remained
connected with it, displaying judicious judg
ment in all his transactions, and winning
the esteem and confidence of all who had
business relations with him. He also be-
came interested in railroads, and was
elected president of the Northern New
York railroad, which position he held for
eleven years. At the death of the old Wing
party Mr.. Wheeler became q Republican,
and in the year 1858 he was elected to the
State Senate, of which he was made tenn
porary president. distinguished mark of
the confidence in which he was held by the
Republican party, who then for the first
time fully controlled the Legislature. Mr..
Wheeler was an active member Of the
Senate during his term of Office. and
his ability and integrity were SO we'll
recognized that his party removed HIM to q
higher sphere of political duty by electing
him as their representative to tue Thirty
seventh Congress, from the then sixteenth
district, comprising the counties OF Gin
ton, Essex and Franklin. Mr.. Wheeler
proved himself faithful Representative,
consistently supporting, the Republican
party, and 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 COnven-
ton. and at its organization the following
June he again received distinguished
mark of public favor by being elected to
In the tall of 1867 Mr.. Wheeler vas nomi
mated and elected to the Forty first
Congress from the seventeenth district,
comprising Franklin and st. Lawrence
counties, and since that date he has
set continuously in Congress up to the pres
emit time. In the Forty-frst Congress- Mr..
Wheeler was chairman Of the Committee
on the Pacific Railroad, which office he also
held in the Forty-secOnd Congress, and in
the last Congress he was chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations. During the
Forty third Congress, in the winter of 1874,
he was, as already stated, appointed chair
man of the congressional committee which
went to New Orleans to settle the disturb
ing questions which then prevailed in Lou
isiana, and it was mainly owing to his exer-
lions that a peaceable settlement was OBJ
tanned, and that what is known as the
wheeler compromise" was accepted by
both parties in the Louisiana Legisla-
lature. The compromise agreed upon by
the committee was adopted in good faith by
Republicans and Democrats. peace was re.
stored, and good feeling coon prevailed
among all classes of citizens.-New York
Times.