William M. Evarts
|
|
William Maxwell Evarts (February 6, 1818–February 28, 1901) was an American lawyer and statesman. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Boston Latin School, graduated from Yale University in 1837, was admitted to the bar in New York in 1841, and soon took high rank in his profession. In 1860 he was chairman of the New York delegation to the Republican National Convention. In 1861 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate from New York. He was chief counsel for President Andrew Johnson during the impeachment trial, and from July 1868 until March 1869 he was Attorney General of the United States. In 1872 he was counsel for the United States before the tribunal of arbitration on the Alabama claims at Geneva, Switzerland. During President Rutherford B. Hayes' administration he was United States Secretary of State and from 1885 to 1891 he was one of the Senators from New York. While in Congress (50th and 51st Congresses) he served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Library. As an orator Senator Evarts stood in the foremost rank, and some of his best speeches were published. He died in New York and was buried at Ascutney Cemetery in Windsor, Vermont.
