his party as candidate for Representative in Congress from the Second District, and was elected over the Democratic candidate, the late Chief Justice Samuel D. Bell, by a majority of about one thousand votes. He was re-elected in 1863, and again in 1865, the Democratic candidate the former year being Col. John H. George; and the latter, Hon. Lewis W. Clark, now Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. Rollins' Congressional career covered the exciting period of the late civil war and subsequent reconstruction, and it is sufficient to say that he was, throughout, a zealous supporter of the most advanced Republican measures. Engaging little in debate, he was an industrious member of the Committees upon whicahe was assigned, serving as a member of the Committee on District of Columbia, as Chairman of the Committee on Accounts, and a member of the Committee on Public Expenditures, by which latter Committee, during his service, a vast amount of labor was performed, especially in the investigation of the management of the Boston and New York Custom Houses, involving the operations of the "blockade runners" during the war.
In view of Mr. Rollins' subsequent intimate connection with the Union Pacific Railroad Company, it may be proper to remark, that he was a firm opponent of and voted against the measure adopted July, 1864, doubling the land grant of this Company, and making the government security a first instead of second mortgage upon the road. This fact will ever be remembered to his credit by those who regard the adoption of that measure as the consummation of a gigantic scheme of public robbery.
In 1869 he was chosen Secretary, and Assistant Treasurer of the Union Pacific Railroad, having for some time previous, after the expiration of his Congressional service, acted as agent of the Company at Washington, in the transactton of business with the government, and especially in the reception of the subsidy bonds. In 1871 he was elected Secretary and Treasurer, and remained in the office of the Company at Boston, diligently attending to the duties of his position until March last, though retaining his residence at Concord, and devoting sufficient attention to our State politics to make it extremely disagreeable for the Democracy, as well as some of his rivals in the Republican party.
Mr. Rollins' name was presented by his friends for the nomination for U. S. Senator in the Republican caucus in June, 1866. On the first ballot Mr. Rollins had 36 votes, Gen. Marston 36, Mr. Patterson 62, and Daniel Clark 72. Gradually Mr. Rollins' friends finding his nomination improbable, united with the supporters of Mr. Patterson, diverting others in the same direction, so that on the fourth ballot Mr. Patterson was nominated. On the expiration of Senator Patterson's term Mr. Rollins was the leading candidate in opposition to Mr. Patterson for the succession, and on the first ballot in caucus received 67 votes to 60 for all others except Patterson. But, as is frequently the case in such contests, various influences, personal jealousy and rivalry, not the least, conspired to defeat all the prominent candidates, and the result was the nomination of one whose name had not even been dreamed of by his strongest friends in that connection twenty-four hours before — Mr. Bainbridge Wadleigh, present incumbent of the Senatorial office. This result was, of course, a strong disappointment to Mr. Rollins' friends, and scarcely a fair return for his invaluable party services, but he could afford to "bide his time." On the choice of a successor to Senator Cragin, last year, he was nominated as the Republican candidate, (that party still having the majority,) receiving 109 out of 217 votes cast on the first ballot, the exact number necessary to a choice. The opposition, however, was entirely "scattering," the greatest number of votes received by any other candidate being 21 for Orren C. Moore. Mr. Rollins took his seat in the Senate at the extra session last spring, being assigned to the Committees on District of Columbia, Contingent Expenses and Manufactures, but a revision of the Committees at the approaching session of Congress may perhaps change his assignment.
Mr. Rollins was united in marriage,
