Charles
Drake was
born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 11th April, 1811. He attended St. Joseph's
College, Kentucky (1823-24) and Patridge's Military Academy (1824-25)
before serving as a midshipman in the United
States Navy (1825-29).
Drake studied law and was admitted to the bar in Cincinnati in 1833
and worked as a lawyer in St. Louis.
A member of the Republican Party,
he served in the State's House of Representatives (1859-1860) before
being elected to the Senate in 1866.
A strong
opponent of slavery Drake became one
of the leaders of the Radical Republicans
in Congress. A supporter of universal suffrage he opposed the policies
of President Andrew Johnson and voted
for his impeachment in 1868.
Drake resigned from the Senate and took up the post of chief justice
of the Court of Claims (1870-1885). Charles Drake retired to Washington
where he died on 1st April, 1892.
(1)
Charles Drake, speech in Jefferson City
(1st September, 1863)
We
are loyal Union men without any qualifications or conditions, and
are not afraid to declare that we are, Radicals. That is, we are for
going to the root of the infamous rebellion which has distracted our
land for more than two years, and are for destroying that as well
as the rebellion. The root is the institution of Slavery. From it
the rebellion sprung, by it has been sustained, in it lives, and with
it will die. And until that root is pulled up and destroyed, there
is no hope of permanent peace in our country. Therefore I am for pulling
it up, every fiber of it.
Available from Amazon Books
(order below)
