History of Kenton County Kentucky United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Kenton County Kentucky, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

John Griffin Carlisle, statesman, was born in Campbell (now Kenton) county, Ky., Sept. 5, 1835. He was the son of a farmer, was educated at the common school and for a time employed himself with farm work and in teaching school at Covington. He was admitted to the bar in March, 1858, and within two years he acquired a large practice. During 1858-61 he was a member of the state house of representatives. In 1864 he was nominated for presidential elector on the Democratic ticket but declined to run. He was elected to the state senate in 1867 and again in 1869. He served as a delegate-at-large from Kentucky to the national Democratic convention at New York, in July, 1868. In June, 1871, he resigned his seat in the state senate, and was elected lieutenant-governor of Kentucky, serving until 1875. In 1876 hs was chosen alternate presidential elector for the state and the same year was elected a representative to the 45th Congress, being re-elected to every succeeding Congress up to and including the 51st. He immediately acquired prominence as a legislator, and made a notable speech on revenue reform in which policy, as well as in the revival of American shipping, he was greatly interested. The Carlisle internal revenue bill, introduced in the house during the 46th Congress, made him the recognized leader of the Democratic party on the tariff question. He was elected speaker of the house of representatives upon the assembling of the 48th Congress, Dec. 3, 1883, over Samuel J. Randall, and served during the 48th, 49th and 50th congresses. He obtained the respect of the house by the impartial manner in which he performed his duties in the midst of much confusion and opposition, and he became an authority on parliamentary law. He was an advocate of tariff for revenue, though in no sense a free-trader, and he successfully headed the several campaigns against the Republican party on the issue of protection. He was elected to the United States senate as a Democrat, to fill the unexpired term of James B. Beck, deceased, and took his seat May 26, 1890. He resigned his seat in March, 1893, on his appointment as secretary of the treasury in President Cleveland's cabinet, and entered upon the duties of his office March 7, 1893. In February, 1895, the depletion of the gold reserve made it necessary for the government to issue $62,300,000 worth of thirty-four-year 4 percent bonds, and through Mr. Carlisle an arrangement was made with a syndicate of New York bankers to take the whole loan at 104 3/4. The bonds were soon after quoted on the market at 118, which result greatly alarmed the people as to the wisdom of the financial policy of the administration, and when in 1896 it was announced that there would be another issue of bonds to supply a further necessity for gold, and that Mr. Carlisle intended to again sell the bonds to the New York syndicate, the public journals took up the matter and demonstrated that the people could be depended on to take all the issue if they were permitted to do so. This led the government to invite a popular subscription to the loan, which resulted in establishing a much higher market price and called from the same syndicate a bid by which they bought the larger part of the issue at 110.6877, a saving to the country of $20,000,000, principal, and accruing interest for thirty years. Mr. Carlisle in this seeemingly unbusiness-like transaction was severely criticised and the majority of his party repudiated his action. He retired from the cabinet in March, 1897, and resumed the practice of his profession in New York city.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Kenton County Kentucky

Biographies:

Local History and Genealogy Links: