Edmund G. Ross
| Edmund Gibson Ross | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former U.S. Senator from Kansas From: July 19, 1866 – March 3, 1871 | |||
| Predecessor | James H. Lane | ||
| Successor | Alexander Caldwell | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Democrat (until 1856)[1] Republican (1856–1872) Democrat (since 1872) | ||
| Spouse(s) | Fanny M. Lathrop | ||
| Religion | Presbyterian[2] | ||
| Military Service | |||
| Allegiance | United States | ||
| Service/branch | Union Army | ||
| Service Years | 1862–1865 | ||
| Rank | Major | ||
| Unit | 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment | ||
| Commands | Company E | ||
| Battles/wars | American Civil War | ||
Edmund Gibson Ross (December 7, 1826 – May 8, 1907) was a Kansas Republican who was the state's U.S. senator from 1866 to 1871. Initially a staunch abolitionist who joined the GOP in opposition to slavery, he later became known for betraying his party and facilitating the rise of Jim Crow in the South.
After being rejected for re-election due to outrage, Ross became a Democrat and was a territorial governor of New Mexico under the presidency of Grover Cleveland.
Political career
In 1856, Ross moved to Kansas and joined the newly established Republican Party along with his family due to their opposition towards slavery.[1] He participated in the army and also served as a delegate to the Wyandotte Constitutional Conventional.
U.S. Senate
When the United States Senate voted on convicting and removing President Andrew Johnson from office, Republicans initially expected to emerge victorious, having a sufficient majority.[3] However, Ross changed his mind very briefly before the final tally and voted "nay" to the shock of his party colleagues.
Following his highly consequential decision which angered the majority of residents in Kansas, Ross lost re-election and changed party affiliation to Democrat in 1872.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Edmund G. Ross Collection. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ↑ Ross. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ↑ May 16, 2021. The man whose impeachment vote saved Andrew Johnson. Constitution Daily. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
