Charles A. Wickliffe

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Charles Anderson Wickliffe (born June 8, 1788 in Springfield , Virginia , † October 31, 1869 in Ilchester , Maryland ) was an American politician who served in the cabinet of President John Tyler, the office of US Post Secretary . He also served as the governor of the state of Kentucky .

Early years and political advancement

At the time of Wickliffe's birth, what is now Kentucky was still part of Virginia. He attended local schools and then studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1809, after which he opened a law firm in Bardstown . He took part in the British-American War on the staff of Generals Winlock and Caldwell .

His political career began in 1812 with the election to the Kentucky House of Representatives . In the years 1813, 1820, 1821 and 1833 to 1835 he was also elected to this chamber, in 1834 he was chairman ( speaker ) of the house. In between were ten years from 1823 to 1833, which he spent in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC . In 1836 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky as a Whig candidate .

Governor and Minister of Post

After the death of Governor James Clark in 1839 he became governor. In his only one year tenure, he campaigned for an increase in property tax to improve the country's financial situation after the economic crisis of 1837. Due to the short term in office, he did not have the time for more far-reaching reforms.

After the end of his term president called him John Tyler as Postmaster General in his Cabinet . He held this post until the end of Tyler's tenure in March 1845.

Another résumé

The new President James K. Polk commissioned Wickliffe with a secret mission in 1845. He was supposed to travel to the then independent Republic of Texas and prepare the country's entry into the United States. In 1849, Wickliffe was a member of an assembly that revised the Kentucky Constitution. In 1861 he belonged to a group of politicians who wanted to prevent the civil war at the last minute by holding a peace conference in Washington . This attempt failed and the war took its course. From 1861 to 1863 he was again a member of Congress . The politician, who has since converted to the Democratic Party, was a delegate to the 1864 Democratic National Convention in Chicago , where George B. McClellan was nominated as a candidate for that year's presidential election .

Charles Wickliffe died in October 1869. He was married to Margaret Cripps, with whom he had eight children. His son Robert was Governor of Louisiana from 1856 to 1860 .

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personal data
SURNAME Wickliffe, Charles A.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wickliffe, Charles Anderson (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH June 8, 1788
PLACE OF BIRTH near Springfield , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH October 31, 1869
Place of death Ilchester , Maryland