American soldier and statesman, born in New Orleans on the 27th of August 1834. He was given a classical education, and graduated at Harvard Law School in 1854. He practiced law in New Orleans, and at the outbreak of the war he served on the staff of the Confederate general, Magruder, being transferred subsequently to the staff of General Joseph E. Johnston, with whom he served till the close of the war. He was elected a member of the state legislature before the Reconstruction acts, and was one of the committee sent to confer with President Johnson upon Louisiana affairs. In 1872 he was elected a member of the state assembly, and in 1874 was put into the state senate for a term of four years, but was called to serve in the United States Senate from 1877 to 1879. After that he became professor of civil law in the University of Louisiana, and held that position when he was again elected Senator by the Democrats in 1884. His term expired in March 1891. In March 1893, he was appointed by President Cleveland as minister to France, and a few weeks later was made ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the same country, thus being the first American sent to France with that rank.
