Chauncey Depew - Politics

Politics

He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Westchester Co., 3rd D.) in 1862 and 1863, and during the latter year acted at times as Speaker pro tempore while Speaker Theophilus C. Callicot was under investigation. From 1864 to 1865, he was Secretary of State of New York, elected in 1863 on the Union ticket.

He was one of the commissioners appointed to build the state capitol 1874; in 1867 appointed clerk of Westchester County, but resigned after a short service; made immigration commissioner by New York Legislature in 1870, but declined to serve; member of boundary commission of the state of New York in 1875; had also been commissioner of quarantine and president of Court of Claims of New York City and commissioner of taxes and assessments for the city and county of New York; defeated for Lieutenant Governor of New York on the Liberal Republican-Democratic ticket in 1872; candidate for U.S. Senator from New York in 1881, but withdrew after the 41st ballot; declined nomination as a senator in 1885; but elected to the U.S. Senate in 1899, and re-elected in 1905, and served from March 4, 1899, to March 4, 1911; stumped the state of New York for John C. Frémont in 1856 and for Abraham Lincoln in 1860; delegate-at-large to Republican National conventions 1888-1904 and delegate to all following conventions, including 1928, being elected the day before he died; made the nomination speeches for Harrison in 1892, Governor Morton in 1896, and Fairbanks in 1904; at the convention in 1888 received ninety-nine votes for the presidential nomination, and in 1892 declined an appointment as Secretary of State in Harrison's cabinet; Adjutant of the 18th Regiment, New York National Guard, which served in the American Civil War, and later Colonel and Judge Advocate of the 5th Division, on the staff of Major General James W. Husted of the New York Guard, trustee of Peekskill Military Academy; president of New York State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, of the Pilgrims Society from 1918 until his death, of the St. Nicholas Society, and of the Union League for seven years (member since 1868 and elected honorary life member at the close of his presidency); an officer of the French Légion d'honneur; vice president of New York Chamber of Commerce 1904-08 (member since 1885).