Arthur Pue Gorman
Encyclopedia
Arthur Pue Gorman was a United States Senator
from Maryland
, serving from 1881 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1906. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates
from 1869 to 1875. He was a prominent Bourbon Democrat
and later served as a member of the Mills Commission which investigated the origins of baseball
.
Gorman was born in Woodstock, Maryland
, moved to Laurel, Maryland
about 1845 with his younger brother William Henry Gorman
, and attended the local public schools. He was appointed as a page
in the House of Representatives
in 1852 and was transferred to the Senate through the influence of Illinois
senator Stephen A. Douglas
, who made him his private secretary. Gorman subsequently served the Senate as page
, messenger, assistant doorkeeper, assistant postmaster, and finally postmaster.
In September 1866, Gorman was removed from his Senate office and was immediately appointed collector of internal revenue for the fifth district of Maryland. He later served as director and eventually president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co.
Gorman was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates
in 1869, serving until 1875; he served as speaker of the house
for one session. In 1875, he was elected to the Maryland State Senate
, serving until 1881.
In 1880, Gorman was elected to the United States Senate, where he soon became a leader of the Bourbon Democrats. He served as the Democratic caucus chairman from 1890 to 1898, as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Printing (Fifty-third Congress), and as a member of the Senate Committee on Private Land Claims (Fifty-fifth Congress). He played a major role in financial and tariff legislation, especially the Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894, where he defeated President Grover Cleveland
's low tariff goals by raising the tariff to thwart competition with industry in his state.
Gorman was reelected in 1886 and 1892, but was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1898, losing to Louis E. McComas
. After his defeat, Gorman campaigned for the other Maryland senate seat, and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1902. He was again appointed as the Democratic caucus chairman from 1903 to 1906, and served as senator until his death of a heart attack in Washington in 1906.
His son, Arthur Pue Gorman, Jr., attended Lawrenceville Prep
and traveled to the Maryland Agricultural College
(now the University of Maryland), where he played on the football team
as a fullback
and served as an assistant coach. At the age of 22, Gorman was one of the founding members of the Washington Nationals Base Ball Club
, the first official baseball team in America. Eventually he would become President of the National Association of Base Ball Players.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, serving from 1881 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1906. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
from 1869 to 1875. He was a prominent Bourbon Democrat
Bourbon Democrat
Bourbon Democrat was a term used in the United States from 1876 to 1904 to refer to a member of the Democratic Party, conservative or classical liberal, especially one who supported President Grover Cleveland in 1884–1888/1892–1896 and Alton B. Parker in 1904. After 1904, the Bourbons faded away...
and later served as a member of the Mills Commission which investigated the origins of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
Gorman was born in Woodstock, Maryland
Woodstock, Maryland
Woodstock is an unincorporated community which is a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. The original village of Woodstock is located in Howard County, but the surrounding area includes portions of Baltimore County and Carroll County.- Demographics :...
, moved to Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
about 1845 with his younger brother William Henry Gorman
William Henry Gorman
William Henry Gorman was born in Woodstock, Howard County, Maryland. William Gorman was the younger brother of Arthur Pue Gorman. He was raised at a farmstead called "Good Fellowship" dating back to the original land grant by Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, as well as a family home in...
, and attended the local public schools. He was appointed as a page
United States House of Representatives Page
United States House of Representatives Page Program was a program run by the United States House of Representatives, under the office of the Clerk of the House, in which appointed high school juniors acted as non-partisan federal employees in the House of Representatives, providing supplemental...
in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1852 and was transferred to the Senate through the influence of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
senator Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, who made him his private secretary. Gorman subsequently served the Senate as page
United States Senate Page
A United States Senate Page is a non-partisan federal employee serving the United States Senate in Washington, DC. Despite the non-partisan affiliation, Pages are typically divided to serve the party that appointed them.-Selection:In order to become a US Senate Page, one must first be nominated...
, messenger, assistant doorkeeper, assistant postmaster, and finally postmaster.
In September 1866, Gorman was removed from his Senate office and was immediately appointed collector of internal revenue for the fifth district of Maryland. He later served as director and eventually president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co.
Gorman was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1869, serving until 1875; he served as speaker of the house
Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
The Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates presides as speaker over the House of Delegates in the state of Maryland in the United States.-List of Speakers of the House of Delegates:- References :*...
for one session. In 1875, he was elected to the Maryland State Senate
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
, serving until 1881.
In 1880, Gorman was elected to the United States Senate, where he soon became a leader of the Bourbon Democrats. He served as the Democratic caucus chairman from 1890 to 1898, as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Printing (Fifty-third Congress), and as a member of the Senate Committee on Private Land Claims (Fifty-fifth Congress). He played a major role in financial and tariff legislation, especially the Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894, where he defeated President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
's low tariff goals by raising the tariff to thwart competition with industry in his state.
Gorman was reelected in 1886 and 1892, but was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1898, losing to Louis E. McComas
Louis E. McComas
Louis Emory McComas , a Republican, was a member of the U.S. Congress from the sixth district of Maryland from 1883 to 1891, and a member of the United States Senate from 1899 to 1905, each time representing the State of Maryland. His granddaughter, Katharine Byron, and great-grandson, Goodloe...
. After his defeat, Gorman campaigned for the other Maryland senate seat, and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1902. He was again appointed as the Democratic caucus chairman from 1903 to 1906, and served as senator until his death of a heart attack in Washington in 1906.
His son, Arthur Pue Gorman, Jr., attended Lawrenceville Prep
Lawrenceville School
The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational, independent preparatory boarding school for grades 9–12 located on in the historic community of Lawrenceville, in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, U.S., five miles southwest of Princeton....
and traveled to the Maryland Agricultural College
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
(now the University of Maryland), where he played on the football team
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and served as an assistant coach. At the age of 22, Gorman was one of the founding members of the Washington Nationals Base Ball Club
Washington Nationals (NA)
The Washington Nationals were the first important baseball club in the nation's capital. They played part of one season or parts of two seasons in the National Association, the first professional league, so they are considered a major league team by those who count the NA as a major league...
, the first official baseball team in America. Eventually he would become President of the National Association of Base Ball Players.