Henry William Blair

Republican Representative of New Hampshire's 1st district

Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

December 6, 1834 (85 years old)

Birthday

March 14, 1920

Death

Served as a United States Representative and Senator from New Hampshire.
Held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Initially a Radical Republican, later associated with the moderate “Half-Breeds” advocating for civil service reform.
Fought against racial disparities and was considered ahead of his time in his efforts for racial equality.
Introduced the first prohibition amendment in Congress in 1876.
Advocated for higher protective tariffs, the gold standard, and pensions for Union veterans.
Proposed the “Blair Education Bill” to provide federal aid for education, which passed the Senate multiple times but never the House.
Served as chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor during multiple Congresses.
Appointed as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China but resigned due to objections from the Chinese government.
Returned to the House of Representatives in 1892 after a previous term and practiced law until his death.