Hamlin, Hannibal

Hamlin, Hannibal Hamlin, Hannibal, 1809â€"91, Vice President of the United States (1861â€"65), b. Paris, Maine. Admitted to the bar in 1833, he practiced at Hampden, Maine. He was a Maine legislator (1836â€"40, 1847), a U.S. Representative (1843â€"47), and a U.S. Senator (1848â€"57). As a Democrat he supported Franklin Pierce's administration, but left (1856) his party when it adopted a strong proslavery platform, and joined the Republican party; in the same year he was elected governor of Maine. After a few weeks he resigned to reenter (1857) the U.S. Senate, where he became increasingly prominent. Geographical and political considerations made him a natural choice as Abraham Lincoln's running mate in 1860. As Vice President during the Civil War he presided over the Senate with ability and took part in a variety of governmental wartime activities. He returned to the Senate (1869â€"81), supporting the Reconstruction and the economic policies of his party. He was minister to Spain in 1881â€"82. See biographies by his grandson Charles E. Hamlin (1899, repr. 1971) and H. D. Hunt (1969). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies