Robert Mercer Hunter American politician Country: USA

1. Biography of Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter
2. Political Career
3. Involvement in the Civil War
4. Post-War Life and Legacy

Biography of Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter

Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter was an American politician who dedicated his life to politics. Born in 1809 in Essex County, Virginia, he graduated from the University of Virginia and attended the Winchester Law School, where he obtained his law degree.

Political Career

From 1835 onwards, Hunter was actively involved in politics. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1835 to 1837. He was twice elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1837 to 1843 and again from 1845 to 1847. During the years 1839-1841, Robert Hunter held the position of Speaker of the House.

In 1847, Hunter was elected to the Senate, where he remained until his resignation in 1861. He even declined an offer from President Fillmore to become Secretary of State. Throughout his time in the Senate, Hunter was the Chairman of the Finance Committee and played a significant role in advocating for the reduction of silver content in small coins. He authored the Tariff Act of 1852 and proposed the idea of customs warehouses.

Involvement in the Civil War

In 1860, Hunter participated in the Democratic Party Convention in Charleston and was put forward as a candidate for the presidential nomination. Despite not considering Lincoln's election as a sufficient reason for secession, Hunter offered various alternatives to resolve the crisis between the North and the South. When his ideas failed to garner support, Hunter silently observed Virginia's secession. Shortly after, he replaced Robert Toombs as the Confederate Secretary of State but held this position only briefly. He preferred to return to the Senate of the Confederacy, where he criticized President Davis's administration.

Post-War Life and Legacy

Towards the end of the war, Hunter was sent as a representative for peace negotiations with President Lincoln at the Hampton Roads Conference. After the Confederacy's defeat, Hunter was one of the first Confederate politicians to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. President Lincoln appointed him to negotiate Virginia's return to the Union, sending him to Richmond.

From 1874 to 1880, Robert Hunter served as Treasurer of Virginia, and from 1885 until his death in 1887, he worked as a customs collector at the Tappahannock port. Despite his controversial role during the Civil War, Hunter's political career and contributions left a lasting impact on Virginia and American history.