Lot M. Morrill

Lot M. Morrill was an influential American statesman who served as a United States Senator from Maine and as United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Ulysses S. Grant. A prominent figure in the Republican Party, his political career spanned the tumultuous eras of the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Morrill was known as a staunch Radical Republican and a steadfast supporter of the Union cause, playing a key role in financial legislation during his tenure in the United States Senate.

Early life and education

Lot Myrick Morrill was born on May 3, 1813, in Belgrade, Maine. He was educated in local schools before attending Waterville College (now Colby College) in Waterville, Maine. After graduating, he studied law and was admitted to the Maine bar in 1839, establishing a successful legal practice in Augusta, Maine. His early career in law and local politics laid the foundation for his future in state and national governance, aligning initially with the Democratic Party.

Political career

Morrill began his political career in the Maine House of Representatives, serving from 1854 to 1855. He later served in the Maine Senate from 1856 to 1857. During this period, he underwent a significant political transformation, leaving the Democratic Party over the issue of slavery and helping to found the Republican Party in Maine. His anti-slavery stance and political acumen led to his election as the Governor of Maine in 1857, a position he held for three consecutive one-year terms from 1858 to 1861.

U.S. Senate service

In 1861, Morrill was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy created when Hannibal Hamlin became Vice President of the United States under Abraham Lincoln. He was subsequently elected to full terms, serving from 1861 until 1876. During the American Civil War, Morrill was a vigorous supporter of the Lincoln administration and the Union Army. He served as chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations and was a key figure in crafting financial legislation, including measures to fund the war effort and manage the national debt. A committed Radical Republican, he supported the Reconstruction Acts and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Secretary of the Treasury

In July 1876, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Morrill as the United States Secretary of the Treasury following the resignation of Benjamin H. Bristow. His brief tenure, which lasted until the end of Grant's presidency in March 1877, was dominated by the economic challenges of the Panic of 1873. Morrill advocated for a return to the gold standard and opposed the inflationary pressures of the greenback movement. He managed the department during a contentious presidential election and oversaw the initial preparations for the Resumption Act of 1875.

Later life and death

After leaving the Grant administration, Morrill returned to Maine. He was once again elected to the United States Senate in 1877 to complete an unexpired term, serving until 1883. In his final years, he remained active in the Republican Party and continued to advocate for sound money policies. Lot M. Morrill died on January 10, 1883, in Augusta, Maine. He was interred at Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta. His legacy is that of a principled legislator and financier who helped guide the United States through its greatest mid-century crises.

Category:1813 births Category:1883 deaths Category:United States Secretaries of the Treasury Category:United States Senators from Maine Category:Governors of Maine