David B. Henderson
Encyclopedia
David Bremner Henderson a ten-term Republican Congressman
from Dubuque, Iowa
, was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
from 1899 to 1903. He was the first Congressman from west of the Mississippi River
, the last Civil War
veteran
, the second foreign-born person
(after Charles Frederick Crisp
), and so far the only Iowa
n to serve as Speaker.
, Scotland
on March 14, 1840. He emigrated to the United States
with his parents, who initially settled in Winnebago County, Illinois
, in 1846. His family soon moved to a farm near Clermont
, in Fayette County
, Iowa
in 1849. He attended the common schools, and the Upper Iowa University
at Fayette, Iowa
.
during the Civil War
and was wounded severely twice, once in the neck and later in the leg, which resulted in progressive amputations of that leg. He initially enlisted in the Union Army
on September 15, 1861, as a private in Company C, 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
. He was elected and commissioned first lieutenant of that company. In the Battle of Fort Donelson
, he was shot in the neck in the final charge over the breastworks. After returning to the Regiment in April 1862, he lost one foot and part of one leg at the Second Battle of Corinth
in October 1862. He was discharged on February 26, 1863 due to his wounds, and returned to Iowa. After serving as commissioner of the board of enrollment of the third district of Iowa from May 1863 to June 1864, he re-entered the Army as colonel of the new 46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
, one of the "Hundred Days Men
" regiments, and commanded the Regiment until it was mustered out in September 1864.
in the U.S. House. He served in the Forty-eighth and the nine succeeding Congresses, from March 4, 1883 to March 3, 1903. He first ran for Speaker following the 1888 elections, finishing well behind Thomas Brackett Reed
and runner-up William McKinley
. Prior to his election as speaker, he served as the chairman of the Committee on Militia
(in the Fifty-first Congress), and chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary
(in the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses). He was also the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Appropriations during the period of Democratic control, but when Republicans returned to control of the House after the 1894 elections, Speaker Reed departed with tradition by returning the chairmanship to Joseph Gurney Cannon
, who had served more nonconsecutive terms in the House and would have outranked Henderson had Cannon not lost his House seat for two years.
.
During his four-year tenure as Speaker of the House, many of his peers lobbied him to run for the presidency even though the United States Constitution
forbade it because he was foreign born.
On September 16, 1902 - with the next Congressional election less than two months away - Henderson surprised nearly everyone by announcing that he was withdrawing from the race for re-election (and thus from Congress). Various explanations for his abrupt withdrawal have been offered. Henderson's letter announcing his decision referred to "a growing sentiment, among Republicans, that I do not truly represent their views on the tariff question." Some attributed his decision to the lingering effects of his war injuries. In a letter to Henderson’s successor Joe Cannon dated three days after Henderson's announcement, former House Clerk Henry H. Smith stated that "there can be but one explanation of the reason for his action [the resignation] . . . they relate not alone to poker playing, but to his alleged intimacy with a certain `lobbyess' who is reported to have some written evidence that would greatly embarrass the Speaker. . . . He seemed to have lost all control of himself and become reckless. . . . This is not mere guesswork at all but private and reliable information which I am sure you will recognize when I tell you the name." - Whatever the cause, Henderson's resignation ushered in the beginning of Cannon's famous tenure as Speaker.
until health problems caused him to retire to Southern California. Henderson died in Dubuque on February 25, 1906, aged 65. He is buried at Linwood Cemetery
in Dubuque.
His portrait hangs in the speakers' room in the U.S. Capitol, and statues of Henderson by J. Massey Rhind are found the collections of the Iowa State Historical Society and in Clermont.
"Allison-Henderson Park," in Dubuque, shares his name with that of six-term U.S. Senator William B. Allison
, another citizen of Dubuque.
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...
from Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
from 1899 to 1903. He was the first Congressman from west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, the last Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
, the second foreign-born person
United States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...
(after Charles Frederick Crisp
Charles Frederick Crisp
Charles Frederick Crisp was a United States political figure. A Democrat, he was elected as a Congressman from Georgia in 1882, and served until his death in 1896. From 1890 until his death, he was leader of the Democratic Party in the House, as either the House Minority Leader or the Speaker of...
), and so far the only Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
n to serve as Speaker.
Personal background
Henderson was born in Old DeerOld Deer
Old Deer a parish and village in the district of Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The population as of 1901 was 4,313. The village lies on the Deer or South Ugie Water, 10.1 miles west of Peterhead, and two miles from Mintlaw station on the Great North of Scotland Railway Company's branch line...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on March 14, 1840. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his parents, who initially settled in Winnebago County, Illinois
Winnebago County, Illinois
Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...
, in 1846. His family soon moved to a farm near Clermont
Clermont, Iowa
Clermont is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 716 at the 2000 census. Clermont is home to Montauk, the mansion of former Iowa governor William Larrabee, along with much historic architecture...
, in Fayette County
Fayette County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,880 in the county, with a population density of . There were 9,558 housing units, of which 8,634 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1849. He attended the common schools, and the Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University
Established in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private institution of higher education with its residential campus located in northeast Iowa near the Volga River in the rural community of Fayette, where around 900 students are enrolled....
at Fayette, Iowa
Fayette, Iowa
Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,300. It was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette is the home of Upper Iowa University, a small private college...
.
Civil War service and wounds
He served in the Union ArmyUnion Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and was wounded severely twice, once in the neck and later in the leg, which resulted in progressive amputations of that leg. He initially enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
on September 15, 1861, as a private in Company C, 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 12th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.- History :The 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry was organized at Dubuque in October and November 1861, and was mustered in at intervals during those two months. It left Iowa...
. He was elected and commissioned first lieutenant of that company. In the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
, he was shot in the neck in the final charge over the breastworks. After returning to the Regiment in April 1862, he lost one foot and part of one leg at the Second Battle of Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
in October 1862. He was discharged on February 26, 1863 due to his wounds, and returned to Iowa. After serving as commissioner of the board of enrollment of the third district of Iowa from May 1863 to June 1864, he re-entered the Army as colonel of the new 46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 46th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war...
, one of the "Hundred Days Men
Hundred Days Men
The Hundred Days Men was the nickname applied to a series of volunteer regiments raised in 1864 for 100-days service in the Union Army during the height of the American Civil War...
" regiments, and commanded the Regiment until it was mustered out in September 1864.
Law practice
He was a successful lawyer prior to pursuing his political career. After studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1865 and commenced practice in Dubuque. He was the collector of internal revenue for the third district of Iowa from November 1865 to June 1869, when he resigned to accept a position as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, where he served until 1871. He was in private practice in Dubuque until 1882.Congressman and chairman
In 1882, he was elected as a Republican to represent Iowa's 3rd congressional districtIowa's 3rd congressional district
Iowa's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that currently covers an area from Des Moines to the western outskirts of the Cedar Falls-Waterloo Metropolitan Area to the western outskirts of the Cedar Rapids area and to Lucas and Monroe counties .The...
in the U.S. House. He served in the Forty-eighth and the nine succeeding Congresses, from March 4, 1883 to March 3, 1903. He first ran for Speaker following the 1888 elections, finishing well behind Thomas Brackett Reed
Thomas Brackett Reed
Thomas Brackett Reed, , occasionally ridiculed as Czar Reed, was a U.S. Representative from Maine, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889–1891 and from 1895–1899...
and runner-up William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. Prior to his election as speaker, he served as the chairman of the Committee on Militia
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
(in the Fifty-first Congress), and chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary
United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
(in the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses). He was also the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Appropriations during the period of Democratic control, but when Republicans returned to control of the House after the 1894 elections, Speaker Reed departed with tradition by returning the chairmanship to Joseph Gurney Cannon
Joseph Gurney Cannon
Joseph Gurney Cannon was a United States politician from Illinois and leader of the Republican Party. Cannon served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 1911, and historians generally consider him to be the most dominant Speaker in United States history, with such...
, who had served more nonconsecutive terms in the House and would have outranked Henderson had Cannon not lost his House seat for two years.
Speaker of the House
Henderson was elected to succeed Reed as Speaker following Reed's resignation from the post in 1899. Republicans were in control in the House, a majority of members of the House Republican Caucus were from what was then considered "the West," and Henderson was the only serious candidate for Speaker among western members. When serving as Speaker in the Fifty-sixth and Fifty-seventh Congresses, by longstanding tradition Henderson also held the role as chairman of the Committee on RulesUnited States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
.
During his four-year tenure as Speaker of the House, many of his peers lobbied him to run for the presidency even though the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
forbade it because he was foreign born.
On September 16, 1902 - with the next Congressional election less than two months away - Henderson surprised nearly everyone by announcing that he was withdrawing from the race for re-election (and thus from Congress). Various explanations for his abrupt withdrawal have been offered. Henderson's letter announcing his decision referred to "a growing sentiment, among Republicans, that I do not truly represent their views on the tariff question." Some attributed his decision to the lingering effects of his war injuries. In a letter to Henderson’s successor Joe Cannon dated three days after Henderson's announcement, former House Clerk Henry H. Smith stated that "there can be but one explanation of the reason for his action [the resignation] . . . they relate not alone to poker playing, but to his alleged intimacy with a certain `lobbyess' who is reported to have some written evidence that would greatly embarrass the Speaker. . . . He seemed to have lost all control of himself and become reckless. . . . This is not mere guesswork at all but private and reliable information which I am sure you will recognize when I tell you the name." - Whatever the cause, Henderson's resignation ushered in the beginning of Cannon's famous tenure as Speaker.
Death and honors
After leaving Congress, Henderson practiced law in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until health problems caused him to retire to Southern California. Henderson died in Dubuque on February 25, 1906, aged 65. He is buried at Linwood Cemetery
Linwood Cemetery (Dubuque)
Linwood Cemetery is located in Dubuque, Iowa. It is located on Windsor Avenue in the north end of Dubuque.The cemetery is one of the main cemeteries in Dubuque. Originally established for the Protestants of the city, the cemetery now serves members of all faiths...
in Dubuque.
His portrait hangs in the speakers' room in the U.S. Capitol, and statues of Henderson by J. Massey Rhind are found the collections of the Iowa State Historical Society and in Clermont.
"Allison-Henderson Park," in Dubuque, shares his name with that of six-term U.S. Senator William B. Allison
William B. Allison
William Boyd Allison was an early leader of the Iowa Republican Party, who represented northeastern Iowa for four consecutive terms in the U.S. House before representing his state for six consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate...
, another citizen of Dubuque.