Vice-president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, born at Malone, NY, on the 30th of June 1819. He studied at the university of Vermont for two years (18331835), and in 1845 was admitted to the bar. First as a Whig, and then, after 1856, as a Republican, he was prominent for many years in state and national politics. He was a member of the state Assembly in 18491850, a member and president pro tempore of the state Senate in 18581859, and a member of the national House of Representatives in 18611863, and again from 1869 until 1877. He was the author of the so-called Wheeler Compromise, by which the difficulties between contending political factions in Louisiana were adjusted in 1875. Nominated for vice-president by the Republicans in 1876 on the ticket with President Hayes, he was installed in office through the decision of the Electoral Commission, and at the end of his term he retired from public life. He died at Malone on the 4th of June 1887.