Thomas Lemuel James

Thomas Lemuel James ( born March 29, 1831 in Utica, New York, † September 11, 1916 in New York City ) was an American journalist and banker, of 1881 29th Postmaster General of the United States.

James attended a private school in Utica and then followed his passion for journalism by he took a post at the Utica Liberty Press. He fought in the ranks of the Whigs during the violent party disputes from 1849 to 1853, which he closed acquaintance with the judge Francis B. Fisher. Both gave later shared the Madison County Journal out, which turned out to William H. Seward's side.

When the Republican Party was founded, he entered enthusiastically into the new organization and became the sole owner and editor of the Journal. During the Know Nothing fights he defended with courage and the counterparty, and he managed to enforce the opposing candidate of the Know-Nothing Party.

After the election of Abraham Lincoln as U.S. president him his friends had procured the post of customs inspector. He therefore sold his journal and moved to New York. His energetic work earned him the 1874 promotion to Master a Wage, 1876 to the Deputy Collector. His business agility earned him such great prestige that he was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant first as Chairman of the Board of Examiners and then to the postmaster of New York. His outstanding achievements in that post caused President James A. Garfield to appoint him in 1881 as Postmaster General in his cabinet. From this position he resigned after the assassination of Garfield and the assumption of office by the Vice -President Chester A. Arthur in early 1882 back.