Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-14
EX-SECRETlRY FISH DEAD
Death Came Last Thursday,
at His Country Home.
SKETCH OF HIS PUBLIC CAREER
Governor, Senator and Sec-
retary of State.
Served in the Cabinet Through Both of
President Grants TerIns--A Successful
Diplomat--Someo of the Important Mis-
sions in Which He Was Engaged.

GARRIsoN's, N. Y, Sept. t3.-Hon.
Hamilton Fish, ex-Secretary of State,
died at his country residence here, last
Thursday morning. The funeral took
place here Monday afternoon.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Hamilton Fish was born in New York
city, August Sd 1908. Was graduated at
Columbia College in 1897, studied law
and was admitted to the bar in 1880.
In politics he was a'Whig, and was the
defeated candidate of that party for the
state assembly in 1884. In 1912 he was
elected a representative in Congress
from the Sixth district Of New York,
and served one term. In 1846 he was
candidate for lieutenant-governor, and
while the Whig candidate for governor
was elected, Mr.. Fish, who had incurred
the hostility of the Anti-Renters by his
warm denunciation of their principles,
was defeated. His successful opponent,
Addison Gardner, resigned in 1S47, to
become judge. and Mr.. Fish was
elected in his place. In 1S48 he was
elected governor by about 10000 ma
jority, the opposing candidates being
John A. Dix and Reuben II. Walworth.
In 1851 Mr.. Fish was elected United
States Senator in place of Daniel s.
Dickinson. In the Senate he opposed
the repeal of the Missouri compromise
and acted with the Republican party
from its formation to the end of his
term. In 1867 he went to Europe with
his family and remained till shortly
before the beginning Of the civil war.
On his return he took an active
part in the campaign that resulted
in the election of Abraham Lin
coin. In January, 1869, in COM
pany conjunction with Bishop Ames,
he was appointed commissioner to
visit the United States soldiers i'm
prisoned at Richmond and elsewhere,
Ito relieve their necessities and provide
for their comfort" The Confederate
government declined to admit the COM
missioners within their lines, but inti-
mated a readiness to negotiate for
general exchange of prisoners. The
result was an agreement for an equal
exchange, which was carried out sub
stantially to the end of the war.
In 1868 Mr.. Fish aided in the election
of General Grant to the Presidency and
was by him appointed Secretary of
State in March, 1869, and was reap
pointed at the beginning of his second
term, in March, 1878, serving from
March 18th, 1859, to March 18th, 1877.
February 9th, 1871. the President
appointed him one Of the COM
missioners ON the part of the United
States to negotiate the treaty Of Wash
ington, which was signed by him May
9Th of that year. He effected settle
meat of the long-standing northwestern
boundary dispute, giving to the United
States the island of San Juan, and
successfully resisted an effort by
Great Britain to change the terms
of the extradition treaty by muni-
cipal legislation. In November, 1873,
he negotiated with Admiral Polo,
the Spanish minister at Washington,
the settlement of the "Virginius" ques-
ton. He was some years president of
the New York Historical Society, and
was president-general of the New York
Society of the Cincinnati. For several
years past he has been living in retire
ment at his country home on the
| Hudson,