William Almon Wheeler: Political Star of the North Country (Excelsior Editions)

An American success story about the life of William Almon Wheeler, a poor boy from Northern New York who became the nineteenth vice president of the United States. William Almon Wheeler's life is an American success story about how a poor boy living near the Canadian border in Malone, New York, achieved fame and fortune. Often referred to as "the New York Lincoln," Wheeler was a lawyer, banker, railroad president, state legislator, five-term congressman, and the nineteenth vice president of the United States under Rutherford B. Hayes.Using a variety of sources, including newspapers, letters, government reports, county histories, and biographies of Wheeler's contemporaries, Herbert C. Hallas examines Wheeler's role in shaping state and national public policy. Highlights include construction of the North Country and transcontinental railroads, the creation of the Adirondack and Niagara Falls state parks, the extension of voting rights in New York, the termination of racial civil war in Louisiana, and the curtailment of unnecessary government spending. The book traces Wheeler's path as he wound his way through the minefields of county, state, and national politics and helped found the Republican Party, without compromising his integrity or religious principles. Hallas rescues Wheeler's story from the dustbin of history. Along the way he debunks long-held myths about Wheeler and restores his place as an influential nineteenth-century political force."Hallas weaves Wheeler's life with national political events thereby illustrating the importance of the North Country and its people to the country as a whole. He has effectively re-introduced a powerful political figure who has been overshadowed by other larger-than-life figures of the nineteenth century." -- Thomas Price, Curator, James K. Polk Ancestral Home William Almon Wheeler's life is an American success story about how a poor boy living near the Canadian border in Malone, New York, achieved fame and fortune. Often referred to as "the New York Lincoln," Wheeler was a lawyer, banker, railroad president, state legislator, five-term congressman, and the nineteenth vice president of the United States under Rutherford B. Hayes. Using a variety of sources, including newspapers, letters, government reports, county histories, and biographies of Wheeler's contemporaries, Herbert C. Hallas examines Wheeler's role in shaping state and national public policy. Highlights include construction of the North Country and transcontinental railroads, the creation of the Adirondack and Niagara Falls state parks, the extension of voting rights in New York, the termination of racial civil war in Louisiana, and the curtailment of unnecessary government spending. The book traces Wheeler's path as he wound his way through the minefields of county, state, and national politics and helped found the Republican Party, without compromising his integrity or religious principles. Hallas rescues Wheeler's story from the dustbin of history. Along the way he debunks long-held myths about Wheeler and restores his place as an influential nineteenth-century political force. Tragedy In Malone -- The Making Of A Cultivated Man -- Love And The New District Attorney -- Here Lies An Honest Man -- Old Hunkerism Is Dead -- A Mere Act Of Justice -- Grinding It Out In Albany -- A Pen Dipped In Gall -- An Early-morning Knock On The Door -- Suddenly, A Junior Partner -- A Sporting Gentleman Gets The Itch -- True To Our Trust, True To Ourselves, And True To The Truth -- Ho! For California -- Spreading Law, Order, Population, Industry And Wealth -- Common Justice For The South -- Returning The Salary Grab -- No Unproductive And Useless Park -- An Earnest Champion Of The Right -- The New York Lincoln -- God's Hand Is In This Work -- Hayes The True And Wheeler, Too! -- As Righteous As An Edict Of God -- A Wild And Joyous Time -- The Frozen Snake And The Greatest Of Humbugs -- The Machine Always Slaughters Its New Converts -- Delivering A Paroxysm Of Partisan Fury -- U.s. Senate Election Round One: The Double-cross -- U.s. Senate Election Round Two: Caught In A Crossfire -- Distressing Malady Of My Bladder -- Negotiating Simple Justice -- Epilogue: From Sterling Gold To Neurotic Timidity. Herbert C. Hallas. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Tragedy in Malone The making of a "cultivated" man Love and the new district attorney "Here lies an honest man" "Old hunkerism" is dead A "mere act of justice" "Grinding" it out in Albany A pen "dipped in gall" An early morning knock on the door Suddenly, a "junior partner" A sporting gentleman gets the itch "True to our trust, true to ourselves, and true to the truth" "Ho! For California" Spreading "law, order, population, industry and wealth" "Common justice" for the south Returning the salary grab No "unproductive and useless park" An "earnest champion of the right" The "New York Lincoln" "God's hand is in this work" "Hayes the true and Wheeler, too!" "As righteous as an edict of God" "A wild and joyous time" The frozen snake and the "greatest of humbugs" "The machine always slaughters its new converts" Delivering a "paroxysm of partisan fury" U.S. Senate election round one: the double-cross U.S. Senate election round two: caught in a crossfire "Distressing malady of my bladder" Negotiating "simple justice" Epilogue: from "sterling gold" to neurotic timidity. William Almon Wheeler was a lawyer, banker, railroad president, state legislator, five-term congressman, and the nineteenth vice president of the United States under Rutherford B. Hayes. He was known as "the New York Lincoln." Using newspapers, letters, government reports, county histories, and biographies of Wheeler's contemporaries, the author examines Wheeler's role in shaping state and national public policy. He also discusses some of Wheeler's achievements such as construction of the North Country and transcontinental railroads, the creation of the Adirondack and Niagara Fall state parks, the extension of voting rights in New York, the termination of racial civil war in Louisiana, the curtailment of unnecessary government spending, and helping found the Republican Party