William Thomas Hamilton

William Thomas Hamilton ( * September 8, 1820 in Washington County, Maryland, † October 26, 1888 in Hagerstown, Maryland ) was an American politician (Democratic Party) and 1880-1884 Governor of Maryland. Between 1849 and 1875 he represented his state intermittently in both chambers of Congress.

Early years and political rise

William Hamilton attended the Hagerstown Academy and today's Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. After a subsequent law degree, he was admitted in 1843 as a lawyer. Then he started in Hagerstown to work in his new profession.

In 1846 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Maryland. Between 1849 and 1855 he represented his state in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington. There he supported the import duties, because they were a welcome source of income. In Congress, he was then also Chairman of the Committee for the administration of the Federal District ( District of Columbia). In the years 1855 to 1868 Hamilton moved temporarily retired from politics and worked as a lawyer and farmer in Hagerstown.

U.S. Senator and Governor

In 1868, Hamilton was elected to the U.S. Senate. He entered as a Class 1 senator succeeds William Pinkney Whyte and exercised this mandate between 4 March 1869, March 3, 1875. In the Senate, he campaigned for the restoration of the sovereignty of the southern states. He also voted against the 15th Amendment, which enshrined the right to vote of the black population legally. In 1871, he supported his predecessor Whyte, as this successfully ran for governor of Maryland. He later fell out with him, however. In 1874, he was not nominated by his party for another term in the Senate. His seat went again to William Whyte. Instead, Hamilton ran in the gubernatorial elections of 1875 in which he was defeated by John Lee Carroll.

Four years later he made the victory in the gubernatorial elections and could hold that office between 14 January 1880 and 9 January 1884. His tenure was marred by a conflict with the legislature. This he could not enforce his planned reforms.

Further CV

After the end of his governorship Hamilton retired from politics and devoted himself to his private affairs. He was still working as a lawyer. William Hamilton died in October, 1888. Together with his wife Clara Holmes Jenness he had eight children.