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164 occupied the second place with S. J. Randall, J. Warren Keifer, and Thomas B. Reed on the committee). He was elected in 1885 United States senator from Kentucky. In the senate he had a place on the committees on the District of Columbia, Naval Affairs, Railroads, Rules (chairman fifty-third and fifty-fourth Congresses), Select Committee on Indian Traders, Census, Civil Service, Territories, Appropriations and Select Committee on Woman Suffrage. His second term expired March 3, 1897, and he was succeeded by William J. Deboe, Republican. In 1896 and in 1900 he was a member of the Democratic national conventions and actively supported the candidacy of William J. Bryan in 1900. Ex-Senator Blackburn was elected United States senator to succeed William Lindsay, Democrat, and took his seat March 4, 1901, for the term expiring March 3, 1907. He is a member of the senate committee on Privileges, Elections, and on Memorial Exercises for the late President McKinley; on the Judiciary, on Military Affairs, and on Naval Affairs, as well as a member of the "Steering Committee." Senator Blackburn affiliated with the Masonic order of Knights Templar; was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Phi Delta Theta society. He was also a member of the Clover club of Philadelphia and of the Confederate Veterans' association. After the death of his first wife Senator Blackburn was married a second time, December 11, 1901, to Mrs. Mary E., widow of H. H. Blackburn, of Washington, District of Columbia, and daughter of Wm. McHenry of Washington, District of Columbia. He was always a Democrat. His most helpful reading he found to be Buckle's "History of Civilization in England " and standard historical and philosophical works. His ambition as a young politician was to succeed Henry Clay in congress from his home district. His advice to a young man is to select carefully a profession or vocation for which he believes himself best fitted, and to concentrate every energy upon it and adhere to it. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Centre college, Kentucky.