Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813 – July 27, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer from Maryland. He served in the Lincoln administration cabinet as Postmaster-General from 1861 to 1864, during the Civil War. He was the son of Francis Preston Blair, elder brother of Francis Preston Blair Jr. and cousin of B. Gratz Brown.

Early life and education

Blair was born in Franklin County, Kentucky, site of the state capital of Frankfort.

Blair graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. After a year of service in the Seminole War, however, he left the U.S. Army, married Caroline Rebecca Buckner of Virginia, and began studying law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.

Career

Blair began to practice law in 1839 in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as U.S. District Attorney from 1839 to 1843 and later as judge of the court of common pleas from 1843 to 1849. After the death of his first wife, Carolina, in 1844, he later married Mary Elizabeth Woodbury, daughter of Levi Woodbury. While Postmaster-General, Blair instituted a uniform rate of postage and free delivery in cities, began the sale of money orders by post offices to reduce the mailing of currency to reduce post office robberies, and also started the use of railway mail cars, an idea which had been suggested by George B. Armstrong (d. 1871), of Chicago, general superintendent of the United States railway mail service from 1860 to his death.

Blair called for the First International Postal Conference, which was held in Paris in 1863 and began the process that led to the Universal Postal Union.

In September 1864, Lincoln accepted an earlier offer by Blair to resign. Lincoln's action may have been a response to the hostility of the Radical Republican faction, which believed Blair's retirement should follow the withdrawal of John C. Frémont as a candidate in the 1864 presidential election. Blair told his wife that Lincoln acted "from the best motives" and that "it is for the best all around." After he left the cabinet, Blair still campaigned for Lincoln's re-election in 1864, and Lincoln and the Blair family retained close ties.

Post-war

thumb|250px|Montgomery Blair in his post-war life

Differing from the Republican Party on the Reconstruction policy, Blair gave his adherence to the Democratic Party after the Civil War, along with his brother, Francis Preston Blair Jr., who was the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1868.

In 1876, Blair, along with Matthew H. Carpenter and Jeremiah S. Black, was counsel to Secretary of War William W. Belknap during the House of Representatives investigation into the Trader post scandal. Blair asked the House Investigation Committee chaired by Hiester Clymer to drop the charges against Belknap if the latter resigned office. Clymer, however, declined Blair's offer.

Belknap was impeached by the House of Representatives for receiving illicit payments from the Fort Sill trader post on the American frontier as Secretary of War. Belknap had been granted sole power by Congress to choose sutlers to operate lucrative trader posts that sold supplies to U.S. soldiers and Indians. Belknap resigned over the scandal and was acquitted in a United States Senate trial during the summer of 1876. Many senators did not believe that Congress could convict a private citizen, but the Senate passed a resolution that stated Congress had that power.

In 1882, Blair unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Maryland's sixth district.

Death

thumb|The Montgomery Blair mausoleum in [[Rock Creek Cemetery]]

After several years afflicted with "inflammation of the spinal membranes," he died in Silver Spring, Maryland on July 27, 1883.

Funeral services were held at Rock Creek Church, and he was buried at Rock Creek Cemetery. In memory of Blair, the United States Post Office closed on July 30, 1883.

  • To commemorate the centennial of the First International Postal Conference, Blair's portrait appeared on a U.S. airmail stamp, Scott catalogue C66, was issued in 1963.

Works

  • Speech on the Causes of the Rebellion (1864)

Legacy

Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland is named after Blair.

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. (electronic edition).

Further reading

  • Davis, Madison. The Public Career of Montgomery Blair: particularly with reference to his services as Postmaster General of the United States. Washington, D.C.: Columbia Historical Society, 1910
  • Moroney, Rita Lloyd. Montgomery Blair, Postmaster General. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1963 44p.
  • Biography
  • Mr. Lincoln and Friends: Montgomery Blair
  • Mr. Lincoln and Freedom: Montgomery Blair
  • Mr. Lincoln's White House: Montgomery Blair