The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-07

GARRIsoNs. N. Y, Sept. Z. 1s95.-Ham-
ilton Fish, ex-Secretary of State. died at
his country residence mere this morning.
Hamilton Fish was torn In New York
City, August 8. 1903. He was graduated
from Columbia in 1897, studied law aud
was admitted to the bar In 1880 He was
several years Commissioner of
Deeds. IN politics he was
Wig. and was the defeated
candidate of that party for the State
Assembly in 1884. In 1S42 he was elected
a representative in Congress from the
Slxth district of New York over John
Mckeon. the Democratic candidate and
served one term. In 1916 he was can-
didate for Lisuten ant-Governor. Ths
Nh1g candidate for Governor, John
Young, was elected, but Mr.. Fish, who
had incurred the hostility of the anti
renters by his warm denuuciatlon Of
their PRINCIPLES, was defeated. His sue
cessful competitor Addison Gardiner, q
democrat who received the support of
the ant1-renters. resigned the Office in 1917
on becoming Judge of the Court of
Appeals. ana Mr.. Fish was elected in bis
place. In 1848 he was chosen Governor
by about 10000 maj ority, the opposing
candidates being John A. Dix and
Reuben H. Walworth. In 1851 he was
elected United States Senator in place of
Daniel 5. Dickinson. In the Senate he
opposed the repeal of the Missouri COM
promise. and acted with the Republican
party from its formation to the end of his
term, though he was not specially promi-
nent in the party. When his Senatorial
term expired in 1857 he went to Europe
with his family, and remained till shortly
before the beginning Of the civil war.
On his return ne took an active part In
the campaign that resulted in the cleo
tion of Abraham Lincoln.
: g In January, 1852. in conjunction with
Bishop Ames, he was appointed by SecreS
tary Stanton commissioner TO visit the
United States soldiers imprisoned at
Richmond and elsewhere. ito relieve
their necessities and provide for their
comfort" The Confederate Governments
declined to admit the commissioners
within their lines. but intimated readl-
ness to negotiate for a 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
he aided in the election of General Grant,
was app otnted Secretary of State by him
in March, 1869, ana was reappointed ar
the beginning of his second term in
March, 1873, serving from March II, 1869,
to March II, 1877. He int reduced sys-
tenn of examinations of applicants for
consulates, 10 test their knowledge of
On February 9. 1871, the President aD-
pointed him one of the commissioners on
the part of the United States to negotiate
the treaty of Washington, wuich was
signed by him on May of that year. He
effected settlement of the long stanl-
ing northwestern boundary dispute,
giving the Island of San Juan to the
United States. and successfully resisted
an effort by Great Britain to change the
terms OF the exJradition treaty by muni-
cIpal legislation. In the settlement of
the Alabama question he procured the
acceptance of doctrine by the Geneva
Tribunal securing the United States
against claims for indirect damages aris-
ing out of Fenian raids or Cuban tili-
clustering expeditions.
In November. 1873, he negotiated with
Admiral Polo, Spanish minister at WASH
inRton, the settlement of the Virginius
question. He WAS for some wears Prssi-
deut of the New YORK Historical Society,
aud was Presi lent General of the New
York Society of the Ciucinnati.