Favorable or Unfavorable #165: Nathan Clifford

[vcczar]

Justice Nathan Clifford (NH-D), like Pierce and Buchanan, was a Northern Doughface, although he seemed supportive of Lincoln's emergency powers during the war. Prior to the war, he was pro-slavery, although a Northerner. He began as a US Rep for ME and a strong Van Buren supporter. 

Let me clarify the 1st 1877 note. Probably because he was a Democrat on the mental decline, the GOP put him in charge of the commission to make it seem like Hayes wasn't fixing the election. Clifford, who stil had some mental capability in early 1877, thought all evidence showed a Tilden victory, but the commission was going with Hayes. Clifford thought that if he opposed the commission it could lead to another civil war, so he signed off on Hayes. Nation over party, even if there is a chance the other party stole the election, which or may not have happened. I don't think we will ever know for certain--too many shenanigans by both parties. 

On another note his grandson, Nathan Clifford Brown, worked for my great-great grandfather. Both were ornithologists, although my ancestor was much more famous. Brown learned ornithology, natural history, and taxidermy with my ancestor by working at his Natural History Supply store. My ancestor would leave Brown in the store while he went off researching birds in Florida and in the Carribean. Brown was 18 years old when he worked for my great-great grandfather, who was then 29-years-old and owning arguably the top Natural History store in Boston. At the time, Brown's grandfather was still on the Supreme Court, so who knows if they ever talked about that. Both Brown and my ancestor have wikipedia pages. 

His actions:

Clifford, Nathan	1846	Confirmed Att Gen for Polk
Clifford, Nathan	1848	Resigns as Att Gen to become Amb to Mexico for Polk, signing treaty ending Mexican War
Clifford, Nathan	1858	Confirmed to the SC for Buchanan by a narrow margin b/c "doughface"
Clifford, Nathan	1877	President of the Commission to review and determine the contested 1876 election; allowed Hayes to win even though he was personally certain Tilden really won
Clifford, Nathan	1877	Noted as seriously on mental decline from 1877-1881, and babbling in the last year; doesn't resign
Clifford, Nathan	1881	Dies in office

[OrangeP47]

Is this the guy who didn't get Baja in the treaty because he's based?