George Congdon Gorham (July 5, 1832 – February 11, 1909) was an American Republican politician, newspaper editor, and author who served as

Secretary of the United States Senate The secretary of the United States Senate is an officer of the United States Senate. The secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. The office is somewhat analogous to that o ...

from 1868 to 1879. Gorham ran for

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constit ...

1867 There were only 354 days this year in the newly purchased territory of Alaska. When the territory transferred from the Russian Empire to the United States, the calendric transition from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar was made with only 1 ...

on the National Union ticket, defeating Congressman

John Bidwell John Bidwell (August 5, 1819 – April 4, 1900), known in Spanish as Don Juan Bidwell, was an American pioneer, politician, and soldier. Bidwell is known as the founder of the city of Chico, California. Born in New York, he emigrated at the age ...

at the party convention. However, Gorham lost to Democratic candidate

Henry Huntly Haight Henry Huntly Haight (May 20, 1825 – September 2, 1878) was an American lawyer and politician. He was the tenth governor of California from December 5, 1867, to December 8, 1871. Early life Childhood and education Haight was of English and ...

by a margin of 7,458 votes in a campaign that viciously attacked Gorham's support for the railroad companies and civil rights. Gorham also worked on the Republican National Committee for California (a subsidiary body of the national body, the

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the primary committee of the Republican Party of the United States. Its members are chosen by the state delegations at the national convention every four years. It is responsible for developing and pr ...

). He, along with

Stephen Johnson Field Stephen Johnson Field (November 4, 1816 – April 9, 1899) was an American jurist. He was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from May 20, 1863, to December 1, 1897, the second longest tenure of any justice. Prior to this ap ...

wrote a book on the early history of California. From June 6, 1868, until March 24, 1879, he was

secretary of the United States Senate The secretary of the United States Senate is an officer of the United States Senate. The secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. The office is somewhat analogous to that o ...

. From 1880 to 1884, he was editor of the ''National Republican'' newspaper. In retirement, he wrote an authoritative two-volume biography of

Edwin Stanton Edwin McMasters Stanton (December 19, 1814December 24, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician who served as U.S. Secretary of War, U.S. secretary of war under the Lincoln Administration during most of the American Civil War. Stanton's manag ...

, Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war. He died in 1909 in Washington D.C. During the

1880 Republican National Convention The 1880 Republican National Convention was held from June 2 to June 8, 1880, at the Interstate Exposition Building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Delegates nominated James A. Garfield of Ohio and Chester A. Arthur of New York (state), N ...

, Gorham served as a delegate allied with the party's " Stalwart" wing.1889
John N. Edwards: Biography, Memoirs, Reminiscences and Recollections; His Brilliant Career as Soldier, Author, and Journalist; Choice Collection of His Most Notable and Interesting Newspaper Articles, Together with Some Unpublished Poems and Many Private Letters. Also a Reprint of Shelby's Expedition to Mexico, an Unwritten Leaf of the War
p. 132. ''Google Books''. Retrieved March 13, 2022.

References

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- Gorham as Secretary of the Senate 1832 births 1909 deaths California Republicans Stalwarts (Republican Party) Secretaries of the United States Senate {{California-politician-stub