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Civil War Wiki
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{{about|the United States Postmaster General|his son|Horatio Collins King}} {{Infobox US Cabinet official | name=Horatio King | image=Horatio King 03856a restored.jpg | order=19th | title=[[United States Postmaster General]] | term_start=February 12, 1861 | term_end=March 7, 1861 | predecessor=[[Joseph Holt]] | successor=[[Montgomery Blair]] | birth_date={{birth date|1811|6|21|mf=y}} | birth_place=[[Paris, Maine]], [[United States|U.S.]] | death_date={{death date and age|1897|5|20|1811|6|21}} | death_place=[[Washington, D.C.]], [[United States|U.S.]] | party= [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] | spouse= | profession= [[Lawyer]], [[Politician]] }} '''Horatio King''' (June 21, 1811 – May 20, 1897) was [[United States Postmaster General|Postmaster General of the United States]] under [[James Buchanan]]. Born in [[Paris, Maine]], he received a common school education, and at the age of 18 entered the office of the Paris ''Jeffersonian'', where he learned printing, afterward becoming owner and editor of the paper. In 1833 he moved it to [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], where he published it until 1838. In 1839 he went to [[Washington, D.C.]], having been appointed clerk in the post office department, and was gradually promoted. In 1854 he was appointed first Assistant Postmaster General, and in January, 1861, while acting as Postmaster General, he was questioned by a member of [[United States Congress|Congress]] from [[South Carolina]] with regard to the [[franking privilege]]. In his reply, King was the first officially to deny the power of a state to separate from the [[United States|Union]]. He was then appointed Postmaster General, serving from February 12 until March 7, 1861. On retiring from office he remained in [[Washington, D.C.]] during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], serving on a board of commissioners to carry into execution the [[emancipation]] law in the [[District of Columbia]]. His efforts led to a considerable number of former slaves settling in the District. After his retirement from office, King practiced in Washington as an attorney before the executive department and international commissions. He was active in procuring the passage of three acts in 1874, 1879, and 1885 respectively, requiring the use of the official "penalty envelope," which has secured a large saving to the government. He also took an active part in the work of completing the [[Washington Monument]], serving as secretary of the [[Monument Society]] from 1881. King was a frequent contributor to the press, and published ''An Oration before the Union Literary Society of Washington'' (Washington, D.C., 1841), and ''Sketches of Travel; or, Twelve Months in Europe'' (1878). His son [[Horatio Collins King]] was also a notable figure. Prior to his death, King had been the last surviving member of the Buchanan Cabinet. ==References== *{{appletons}} ==External links== *[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6869521 Horatio King] at [[Find A Grave]] {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Joseph Holt]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Postmaster General]]|years=1861}} {{s-aft|after=[[Montgomery Blair]]}} {{end}} {{USPostGen}} {{Buchanan cabinet}} {{DEFAULTSORT:King, Horatio}} [[Category:1811 births]] [[Category:1897 deaths]] [[Category:United States Postmasters General]] [[Category:People of Washington, D.C. in the American Civil War]] [[Category:Union political leaders]] [[Category:People from Oxford County, Maine]] [[Category:Burials at the Congressional Cemetery]] [[de:Horatio King]] [[it:Horatio King]] [[ja:ホレイショ・キング (郵政長官)]]
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