Elihu B. Washburne

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Elihu Benjamin Washburne

25th United States Secretary of State
In office March 5, 1869 – March 16, 1869
Preceded by	William H. Seward
Succeeded by	Hamilton Fish

Born	September 23, 1816 Livermore, Maine, USA
Died	October 23, 1887 Chicago, Illinois, USA
Political party	Whig, Republican
Spouse	Adele Gratiot
Profession	Politician

Elihu Benjamin Washburne (September 23, 1816 – October 23, 1887) Born in Livermore, Maine he was one of seven brothers that played a prominent role in the early formation of the United States Republican Party. He later served as United States Secretary of State in 1869.

A member of United States House of Representatives, Washburne was known for his courage, and met President-elect Lincoln upon his arrival in Washington, DC on February 23, 1861. An assassination attempt was feared and other Republican Party leaders were afraid to take on this duty. Washburne had hidden the whereabouts of President-elect Lincoln by personally cutting telegraph wires in key locations.

Originally a Whig, Washburne was an early member of the Republicans and a leader of the Radical Republicans. He was among the original proponents of legal racial equality. After the Civil War, Washburne advocated that large plantations be divided up to provide compensatory property for freed slaves.

Washburne served as President Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of State, replacing William H. Seward, for twelve days in March, 1869; the shortest term of any Secretary of State. He then became ambassador to France, where he was influential in negotiating the peace treaty for the Franco-Prussian War.

Washburne retired from government in 1876, although he was mentioned as a presidential candidate at the Republican conventions in 1880 and 1884. He moved to Chicago, Illinois, and served as president of the Chicago Historical Society from 1884 to 1887.

Three of Washburne's brothers (Cadwallader C. Washburn, William D. Washburn, and Israel Washburn, Jr.) also became politicians. His son, Hempstead Washburne, was mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1891 to 1893.