Elihu B. Washburne

Elihu B. Washburne, born on September twenty-third, eighteen sixteen, was a prominent American politician, diplomat, lawyer, and writer. A member of the influential Washburn family, he played a significant role in the early formation of the United States Republican Party. Washburne served as a congressman from Illinois before, during, and after the American Civil War, establishing himself as a key political ally of President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant.

In his youth, Washburne faced adversity when his family fell into destitution. At the tender age of fourteen, he left his home in Maine to support himself and pursue his education. After working for various newspapers and studying law, he successfully passed the bar exam and relocated to Galena, Illinois, where he became a partner in a thriving law firm. His political career began in earnest when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in eighteen fifty-two, serving until eighteen sixty-nine.

Throughout the Civil War, Washburne was a staunch advocate for Lincoln's war policies and played a crucial role in promoting Grant's military career. Their friendship blossomed as Grant moved to Galena shortly before the war, and Washburne became a vital supporter, protecting him from critics and advocating for his promotions. This alliance continued through Grant's presidency, during which Washburne briefly held the position of the twenty-fifth United States Secretary of State in eighteen sixty-nine.

As a leader of the Radical Republicans, Washburne opposed President Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies and championed African American suffrage and civil rights. His tenure as Secretary of State was short-lived, lasting only eleven days, but he served as the United States Minister to France from eighteen sixty-nine to eighteen seventy-seven. In France, he earned a reputation for his diplomatic integrity and humanitarian efforts during the Franco-Prussian War, receiving accolades from both French and German governments.

Washburne's political journey took a turn after the contentious Republican convention of eighteen eighty, where his friendship with Grant soured. Although he was a candidate for president, he did not gain significant support, and the party ultimately chose James A. Garfield over Grant. In his later years, Washburne published a biography of anti-slavery politician Edward Coles and a memoir detailing his diplomatic experiences in France.