Alexander Randall

Alexander Williams Randall ( born October 31, 1819 in Ames, Montgomery County, New York, † July 26, 1872 in Elmira, New York ) was an American politician. He was from 1858 to 1862 the sixth Governor of Wisconsin and was one of the Cabinet of President Andrew Johnson as Postmaster General.

Early years

Randall studied law with his father and was admitted to the bar in 1838. In 1840 he moved into what is now Waukesha Wisconsin Territory. There he practiced as a lawyer.

Beginning of the political career

Originally Randall was a supporter of the Whig party. But he came early on to the Democratic Party, which earned him the appointment as head of the post office in its territory by President James K. Polk. In 1846 he supported the establishment of Waukesha County, which was separated from the Milwaukee County. Then he became the first district attorney of the new circle. Also in 1846 he was a delegate to the first Constituent Assembly of the future state of Wisconsin. There he fought for the right to vote for African Americans, once and for its time very unusual proposal.

1848 Randall moved to third, but not the last time his party affiliation. He was a member of the short-lived Free Soil Party and was a delegate was appointed to the federal party, on the ex-President Martin Van Buren to the unsuccessful presidential candidate. Already in 1849 returned Randall back to the Democrats. After the founding of the Republicans he finally joined in 1855 this party.

In 1854, Randall was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Then he tried unsuccessfully for the office of Attorney General of Wisconsin. During the politically turbulent dispute over the outcome of the gubernatorial election of 1856 between William A. Barstow and Coles Bashford, he was one of the lawyers of Bashford. After his victory, he appointed Randall judge in the second judicial district of the country. After also Governor Bashford, like its predecessor, Barstow, was mired in corruption scandals, he was in 1858 no longer acceptable for his Republican Party as the leading candidate for the gubernatorial election. The party decided to Randall, who then won the election itself.

Governor, Ambassador and Minister

Randall took up his new position on January 4, 1858. After a re-election, he could remain in office until January 6, 1862. He was a staunch opponent of slavery and took a corresponding position at the outbreak of the American Civil War a. At the outbreak of the war, he managed the default by the federal government contingent of soldiers for the army of the Northern states to offer more than 3200 man.

After the end of his tenure, Alexander Randall was nominated by President Abraham Lincoln to the American ambassador in the Papal States. In 1866, the new President Andrew Johnson appointed him as postmaster general in his cabinet. This office he held until the end of Johnson's term of office on March 3, 1869., Since in those days in Wisconsin prevailing negative sentiment against President Johnson and his government, Randall did not return as a minister under Johnson returned home, but practiced in Elmira, New York as a lawyer, where he also died in 1872. He was twice married and had a child.

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