logo
Walter Q. Gresham's profile picture

Walter Q. Gresham

Also Known As Walter Quintin Gresham, Gresham

Former United States Secretary of the Treasury

Education

  • Higher education - Corydon Seminary
  • law -

Overview

Walter Quintin Gresham was an American attorney, jurist, statesman, and politician from the state of Indiana who served in the cabinets of Presidents Chester A. Arthur and Grover Cleveland.

Gresham was the 31st Postmaster General of the United States under Arthur from 1883 to 1884 and briefly the 35th United States Secretary of the Treasury from September to October 1884 before resigning to become a federal judge. He was twice a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1884 and 1888 before leaving the party to support Grover Cleveland in the election of 1892. He joined Cleveland's second cabinet as the 33rd United States Secretary of State from 1893 until his death.

Gresham served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States Circuit Courts for the Seventh Circuit, and the United States District Court for the District of Indiana.

Secretary of State :

In 1892, he was offered the presidential nomination of the Populist Party but declined and supported Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland; privately, he emphasized that his support was due to Cleveland's position on the tariff and not his personal rivalry with Harrison. 

On January 25, 1893, Cleveland offered Gresham the position of Secretary of State. On the advice of his family, who suggested joining Cleveland's administration would appear to be a quid pro quo and risk his personal popularity, Gresham first declined the offer on February 3. On the advice of friends, especially Henry Watterson, and an urgent telegram from Cleveland to accept the offer, he reversed his position days later. Despite some opposition from Democratic Party regulars, the appointment was generally received with approval. 

Gresham was United States Secretary of State in President Grover Cleveland's cabinet from 1893 to 1895. As Secretary of State, Gresham led a moderate diplomatic application of the Monroe Doctrine in Central America and served as an international arbitrator between imperial powers in Central America and Asia. He negotiated the withdrawal of British troops during the Nicaragua Crisis of 1894-1895 and helped settle the Venezuelan crisis of 1895. He also served as an arbitrator in the First Sino-Japanese War and participated in the Bering Sea Arbitration.

He died on May 28, 1895, in Washington, D.C. He is interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

Early Life

Walter Quintin Gresham was born on March 17, 1832, in Lanesville, Indiana to William Gresham (1802–1834) and his wife Sarah Davis.

William Gresham was a former Colonel in Indiana militia, a cabinet maker, and a member of the Whig Party. He was elected Sheriff of Harrison County, and on January 26, 1834, he was fatally stabbed while assisting in the arrest of Levi Sipes, a so-called "desperado". After William's death, Walter and his brothers were raised by a stepfather, Noah Remley. His grandmother's brother, Dennis Pennington, was also influential on his childhood. Pennington secured him a position in the office of the Harrison County auditor. 

After attending the local schools in Harrison County, Gresham attended Corydon Seminary from 1849 to 1851. Montgomery Schuyler Jr. later attributed Greshman's foreign policy to his devout religiosity.

He attended Indiana University Bloomington for a year beginning in September 1851, then returned to Corydon to read law with Judge William A. Porter. He was admitted to the bar on April 1, 1854 and entered private practice with Thomas C. Slaughter.

Gresham quickly became involved in politics as an opponent of slavery, advocating for gradual, peaceful abolition. He ran unsuccessfully for Harrison County clerk in 1853. He joined the nativist American Party in 1855 before quickly joining the new Republican Party in 1856, actively campaigning for the. In 1860, was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives as a Republican in a strongly Democratic district. Though Stephen Douglas carried Harrison County, Gresham won by sixty votes. 

Gresham's first act in the House was to introduce a resolution declaring armed resistance to constitutional laws by Congress as treason; though the word "treason" was ultimately removed, Gresham's resolution passed. He was also a strong critic of the spoils system.

Gresham received a commission as a colonel on the staff of Oliver P. Morton, but their relationship was strained. As chair of the House Committee on Military Affairs, he was the author of a bill transferring power to commission militia officers to the Governor; their office had previously been elected. Gresham asked Morton for such a commission but was refused.

Career

  • United States - Former Secretary of the Treasury

Reference

Sponsored
Sponsored
Our Offices
  • 10kInfo, Inc.
    13555 SE 36th St
    Bellevue, WA 98006
    Phone: +1 (425) 414-0184
  • 10kInfo Data Solutions, Pvt Ltd.
    Claywork Create
    11 km, Arakere Bannerghatta Rd, Omkar Nagar, Arekere,
    Bengaluru, Karnataka 560076
    Phone: +91 80 4902 2100
4.2 20250131