Changes

{{Officeholder

{{Officeholder

|name=William A. Wheeler

|name=William A. Wheeler

|image=William wheeler.jpg

|image=

|party=[[Whig Party|Whig]] (until 1850s)<br>[[Republican]] (since 1850s)

|party=[[Whig Party|Whig]] (until 1850s)<br>[[Republican]] (since 1850s)

|spouse=Mary King Wheeler

|spouse=Mary King Wheeler

During his congressional tenure, Wheeler was regarded as a "quiet" member and notably refused to involve himself in railroad stocks, even resigning from being chair of the Committee on Pacific Railroads to prevent temptations.<ref name=senate.govbio/>

During his congressional tenure, Wheeler was regarded as a "quiet" member and notably refused to involve himself in railroad stocks, even resigning from being chair of the Committee on Pacific Railroads to prevent temptations.<ref name=senate.govbio/>

Considering himself a person of integrity opposed to corruption, Wheeler refused to associate with the powerful New York political machine run by Sen. [[Roscoe Conkling]],<ref name=senate.govbio/> a Radical Republican and [[Stalwart]] leader who adamantly fought for civil rights and equal treatment of blacks. When requested by Conkling to side with the machine's interests, Wheeler responded:<ref name=senate.govbio/>

Considering himself a person of integrity opposed to corruption, Wheeler refused to associate with the powerful New York political machine run by Sen. [[Roscoe Conkling]],<ref name=senate.govbio/> a Radical Republican and [[Stalwart]] leader who adamantly fought for civil rights and equal treatment of blacks. When requested by Conkling to side with the machine's interests, Wheeler responded:<ref name=senate.govbio/>

{{cquote|Mr. Conkling, there is nothing in the gift of the State of New York which will compensate me for the forfeiture of my self-respect.|||Wheeler}}

{{cquote|Mr. Conkling, there is nothing in the gift of the State of New York which will compensate me for the forfeiture of my self-respect.|||Wheeler}}