Hamilton Fish
| Hamilton Fish | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 26th United States Secretary of State | |
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In office March 17, 1869 – March 12, 1877 |
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| President |
Ulysses S. Grant Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Elihu B. Washburne |
| Succeeded by | William M. Evarts |
|
United States Senator from New York |
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In office December 1, 1851 – March 3, 1857 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel S. Dickinson |
| Succeeded by | Preston King |
| 16th Governor of New York | |
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In office January 1, 1849 – December 31, 1850 |
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| Lieutenant | George Washington Patterson |
| Preceded by | John Young |
| Succeeded by | Washington Hunt |
| Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
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In office January 1, 1848 – December 31, 1848 |
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| Governor | John Young |
| Preceded by |
Albert Lester as Acting Lieutenant Governor |
| Succeeded by | George W. Patterson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 6th district |
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In office December 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 |
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| Preceded by | James G. Clinton |
| Succeeded by | William W. Campbell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 3, 1808 New York City, New York, US |
| Died | September 7, 1893 (aged 85) Garrison, New York, US |
| Political party | Whig, Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Julia Kean Fish |
| Alma mater | Columbia College of Columbia University |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
| Signature |  |
Hamilton Fish (August 3, 1808 – September 7, 1893), was an American statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, a United States Senator and United States Secretary of State. Fish is recognized as the "pillar" of the Grant Administration and considered one of the best U.S. Secretaries of State by scholars, known for his judiciousness and efforts towards reform and diplomatic moderation. Fish settled the controversial Alabama Claims with Great Britain through his development of the concept of international arbitration. Fish kept the United States out of war with Spain over Cuban independence by coolly handling the volatile Virginius Incident. In 1875, Fish initiated the process that would ultimately lead to Hawaiian statehood, by having negotiated a reciprocal trade treaty for the island nation's sugar production. He also organized a peace conference and treaty in Washington D.C. between South American countries and Spain. Fish worked with James Milton Turner, America's first African American consul, to settle the Liberian-Grebo war. President Grant said he trusted Fish the most for political advice.
Fish came from a prominent wealthy New York family and attended Columbia College of Columbia University. Upon graduation, Fish passed the bar, worked as New York's commissioner of deeds, and ran unsuccessfully for New York State Assembly as a Whig candidate in 1834. After his marriage, Fish returned to New York politics in 1843 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Fish ran for New York's Lieutenant Governor in 1846. He was defeated by a Democratic Anti-Rent Party contender. When the office was vacated in 1847, Fish ran and was elected Lieutenant Governor. In 1848 Fish ran and was elected Governor of New York, serving one term. In 1851, Fish was elected U.S. Senator for the state of New York, serving one term. Fish gained valuable experience serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 1850s Fish became a Republican after the Whig party dissolved. In terms of the slavery issue, Fish was a moderate, having disapproved of the Kansas–Nebraska Act and the expansion of slavery.
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