Nicholas Dungan
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814721117
- eISBN:
- 9780814785393
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814721117.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Political History
Former statesman Albert Gallatin's story (1761–1849) is the opposite of the classic American immigrant tale. Gallatin made contributions to America throughout his career that far outweighed any ...
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Former statesman Albert Gallatin's story (1761–1849) is the opposite of the classic American immigrant tale. Gallatin made contributions to America throughout his career that far outweighed any benefit he procured for himself. He got his first taste of politics as a Pennsylvania state representative and went on to serve in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He became the Secretary of Treasury in Jefferson's administration and, despite being of the opposite political party to Alexander Hamilton, Gallatin fully respected his predecessor's fiscal politics. He undertook a special diplomatic mission for President Madison, which ended the War of 1812 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent and gave the United States its genuine independence. He continued in diplomacy as minister to France and to Great Britain. At the age of 70, he retired from politics and commenced a new career in New York City as a banker, public figure, and intellectual. He helped establish New York University and the American Ethnological Society, became an expert in Native American ethnology and linguistics, and served as president of the New-York Historical Society. Gallatin died at age 88 and is buried in Trinity churchyard at Broadway and Wall Street. In our own day, as we look at reforming our financial system and seek to enhance America's global image, it is well worth resurrecting Albert Gallatin's timeless contributions to the United States, at home and abroad.Less
Former statesman Albert Gallatin's story (1761–1849) is the opposite of the classic American immigrant tale. Gallatin made contributions to America throughout his career that far outweighed any benefit he procured for himself. He got his first taste of politics as a Pennsylvania state representative and went on to serve in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He became the Secretary of Treasury in Jefferson's administration and, despite being of the opposite political party to Alexander Hamilton, Gallatin fully respected his predecessor's fiscal politics. He undertook a special diplomatic mission for President Madison, which ended the War of 1812 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent and gave the United States its genuine independence. He continued in diplomacy as minister to France and to Great Britain. At the age of 70, he retired from politics and commenced a new career in New York City as a banker, public figure, and intellectual. He helped establish New York University and the American Ethnological Society, became an expert in Native American ethnology and linguistics, and served as president of the New-York Historical Society. Gallatin died at age 88 and is buried in Trinity churchyard at Broadway and Wall Street. In our own day, as we look at reforming our financial system and seek to enhance America's global image, it is well worth resurrecting Albert Gallatin's timeless contributions to the United States, at home and abroad.
