state legislature, however, and his second term, he had served five terms in the lower house of the United States congress, and with signal credit to himself and his state. He was elected to the forty-first Congress in 1868, and reelected to the forty-second, forty-third, forty-fourth and forty-fifth Congresses. During these terms of service, he rapidly passed from a man of local prominence to one of national reputation. President Grant appointed him postmaster-general in 1874, but he declined the honor. He declined also the tender of a cabinet appointment by President Hayes — that of secretary of the navy. In 1876 and 1880 he was a prominent delegate to the Republican national conventions, at Cincinnati and Chicago, respectively, and was the leader of the Blaine forces in both conventions. His successful efforts on behalf of Blaine brought him into renewed prominence in his state, and in the election that followed, he was promoted to the United States senate, taking his seat March 4, 1881. He was reelected to that body in 1887, 1893, 1899 and 1905.
Senator Hale's career has been unobtrusively conspicuous in both houses of congress. He was a member of important committees in the house of representatives, and in the senate, while occupying similar committee appointments, he has taken a prominent part in legislation and debates. Several of the more important appropriation bills were prepared under his management. Representing both the Appropriation and the Naval committees, he has reported and managed all bills passed by the senate for the building and expansion of our new navy. He introduced the first amendment favoring reciprocity with the countries of Central and South America, in support of which some of his best speechs have been made. He has always been a warm supporter of the meritorious measures relating to the affairs of the District of Columbia; has favored unstinted, though not extravagant, appropriations for adequate and artistic buildings for the public business; and has persistently opposed the introduction of overhead wires by the street railways of the capital city.
A partisan in politics, though still a man of independent thought and action, as evidenced by his position on the Cuban and Philippine question, he is recognized as a wise counsellor in party politics. His political speeches in the senate, when party is thrust forward, are often pointed, direct and even stinging, but never ill-natured or
