Mississippi-born Lamar ran for Congress as a secessionist and won. However, after the Civil War, Lamar believed the way to end the South's suffering was compromise and reconciliation with the North.
As a congressman, Lamar delivered an eloquent eulogy for Charles Sumner, a Massachusetts Democratic, as part of his plan to compromise. In 1876, Senator Lamar was asked to oversee a commission to recount the contested Hayes vs. Tilden presidential election results. Lamar's commission found that the Republican Hayes won by a single electoral vote.
In 1878, Lamar voted no against the Matthews Resolution, which encouraged inflation by the free coinage of silver, at a time when Mississippi was financially depressed. The Mississippi Legislature instructed Lamar to pass vote for the Bland Silver Bill, a bill that encouraged inflation. Lamar voted no.
Lamar toured Mississippi to.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 551 words. This
study guide contains 25,579 words (approx. 85 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Profiles in Courage Access Pass.
