Benjamin Helm Bristow ( Eng. Benjamin Helm Bristow ; June 20, 1832 , Elkton , Kentucky - June 22, 1896 , New York ) is an American statesman. The son of lawyer and congressman Francis Bristow (1804-1864).
| Benjamin Helm Bristow | |||||||
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| The president | Ulysses Grant | ||||||
| Predecessor | William Richardson | ||||||
| Successor | Lot Morrill | ||||||
| Birth | June 20, 1832 Elkton , Kentucky , USA | ||||||
| Death | June 22, 1896 (64 years old) New York , USA | ||||||
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| The consignment | Whig Party Republican Party | ||||||
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He graduated from Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, where he studied law. In 1853, he began legal practice in his native state. During the Civil War in the United States, he joined the army of northerners, first fought in the infantry, was wounded, after treatment he returned to duty as the commander of the cavalry unit and rose to the rank of colonel . In September 1863, resigned due to the election to the Senate of Kentucky, in which he worked for one two-year term and did not begin to be re-elected; as a regional legislator, he supported the policies proclaimed by President Lincoln .
In 1866 - 1870 Bristow served as the District Attorney in Louisville , in particular, enforcing the 1866 Civil Rights Act in Kentucky who established equal rights for black US citizens.
In October 1870 , Bristow was appointed to the newly established position of the General Solicitor of the United States . In close collaboration with Attorney General Amos Ackerman Bristow organized a massive prosecution of members of the Ku Klux Klan .
In 1874 , President Ulysses Grant appointed Bristow as US Treasury Secretary. In this post, Bristow engaged in the reorganization of the ministry, the system of customs districts and other reforms, but later a significant part of his time and energy was swallowed up by the struggle against a large-scale corruption structure that removed significant amounts of revenue from the state monopoly on the production of alcoholic beverages from state control. Since, as it turned out, among the leaders of this structure were people from the president’s inner circle, and part of the illegal funds had to go to the campaign for his re-election, Bristow’s work was fraught with considerable difficulties, and although several dozen people were eventually convicted, 1876 Bristow resigned due to increased friction with President Grant.
In the same year, Bristow nominated himself to run for president . However, the Republican Party convention did not approve his candidacy, including because he was opposed by forces close to outgoing President Grant - Rutherford Hayes became the presidential candidate. Frustrated by this outcome, Bristow left politics forever.
Returning to legal practice, Bristow settled in New York and in 1878 established a law firm, and the following year he was elected president of the American Bar Association.
Died of appendicitis .