Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/240

 of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Iowa, an edition of Blackstone's Commentaries and other works. From 1889 he was at the head of the committee on legal education of the American Bar Association. He was for several years president of the State Historical Society. PHILIP C. HANNA was born in Waterloo, Iowa, June 27, 1857. He was educated for a Methodist minister and was engaged several years in that work. In 1889 he was appointed by President Harrison United States Consul General for Venezuela and during the administration of that office won world-wide fame for his energetic action in securing the release from imprisonment of the consuls of Russia, France, Belgium and several other nations. These consuls were seized by the dictator of that country and held for large ransoms, but through the prompt measures taken by Mr. Hanna were released. For this act Consul Hanna received the thanks of twenty-one nations for rescuing their consuls and citizens. After the overthrow of the dictator the Congress of Venezuela conferred upon Mr. Hanna the rank of count. In 1897 Mr. Hanna was appointed Consul General to Porto Rico and rendered distinguished services to our country during the war with Spain. After peace was restored Mr. Hanna was appointed Consul General at Monterey in Mexico. JAMES HARLAN was born in Clarke County, Illinois, August 26, 1820. His father removed to Park County, Indiana, three years later where the son was reared on a farm. He graduated at Asbury University in 1845. In 1846 Mr. Harlan located at Iowa City where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1847 he was nominated by the Whig party for Superintendent of Public Instruction and was elected over Charles Mason, the Democratic candidate. In 1849, at the Whig State Convention, Mr. Harlan was nominated for Governor but not being eligible on account of youth, he declined, and another candidate was named by the State Central Committee. In 1853 he was chosen president of the Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant. At the session of the Fifth General Assembly in 1855, after a long and exciting contest for election of United States Senator, the Whigs and Free Soil members united upon Mr. Harlan and, casting their votes for him, he was declared elected for six years to succeed General Dodge. His election was contested in the Senate and the seat was declared vacant, in 1857. The Legislature being in session, Mr. Harlan was promptly reflected. In 1861 he was elected for a second term of six years. In March, 1865, he was invited to a seat in the Cabinet of President Lincoln as Secretary of the Interior but did not enter upon the duties of the position until May 15, when he resigned his seat in the Senate. In the meantime the President had been assassinated and was succeeded by Andrew Johnson. In September, Mr. Harlan resigned his seat in the Cabinet and in January, 1866, was again elected to the Senate