Henry Moore Teller
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Henry Moore Teller (May 23, 1830 – February 23, 1914) was a U.S. politician. He served as the Secretary of the Interior between 1882 and 1885. He was sucessively a Republican, Silver Republican and then Democratic United States Senator from Colorado from 1876 to 1882 and from 1885 to 1909.
He served in the Senate and Cabinet for over thirty years, and was connected with the Free Silver question, beginning in 1880, until his death in 1914. During that time, he did much in and out of Congress with tongue and pen to advance the cause of bimetallism. In 1892, he was instrumental in securing in the Republican National Convention a declaration in favor of bimetallism, and he was a conspicuous actor in the prolonged fight in the senate against unconditional repeal. His standing in, and long connection with, the Republican party, together with his great ability and high character, made him the acknowledged leader of the Silver Republican Party.
At the Republican National Convention of 1896 in St. Louis, he was at the head of the revolt against the Republican platform and his withdrawal from the party that year cost the Republican candidate thousands of votes. The silver Republicans favored his nomination for the Presidency, and his state of Colorado voted for him on the first ballot in the Democratic Convention. After the nomination had been made he joined with other leading Silver Republicans in an address supporting the Democratic ticket and during the campaign did yeoman service upon the stump. Unlike many other Silver Republicans, Teller never returned to the Republican Party and served as a Democratic senator for the rest of his career, becoming one of few politicians to switch parties. Teller helped the Democratic Party gain more power in Colorado, which was previously dominated by Republicans.
Historically, Teller is probably best known for sponsoring an amendment to the Joint Resolution for war with Spain, passed by the House (311 to 6) and Senate (42 to 35) on April 19, 1898. Teller's addition to the joint resolution is known as the Teller Amendment. The amendment "disclaimed any intention by the U.S. to exercise jurisdiction or control over Cuba except in a pacification role' and promised that the U.S. would leave the island as soon as the war was over. The joint resolution also gave recognition to Cuban independence and authorized the use of force against Spain.
Teller died February 23, 1914.
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| Preceded by: none | United States Senator (Class 2) from Colorado 1876–1882 Served alongside: Jerome B. Chaffee, Nathaniel P. Hill | Succeeded by: George M. Chilcott |
| Preceded by: Samuel J. Kirkwood | United States Secretary of the Interior 1882–1885 | Succeeded by: Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar |
| Preceded by: Nathaniel P. Hill | United States Senator (Class 3) from Colorado 1885–1909 Served alongside: Thomas M. Bowen, Edward O. Wolcott | Succeeded by: Charles J. Hughes, Jr. |
| United States Secretaries of the Interior
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| Ewing • McKennan • Stuart • McClelland • Thompson • C Smith • Usher • Harlan • Browning • Cox • Delano • Chandler • Schurz • Kirkwood • Teller • Lamar • Vilas • Noble • M Smith • Francis • Bliss • Hitchcock • Garfield • Ballinger • Fisher • Lane • Payne • Fall • Work • West • Wilbur • Ickes • Krug • Chapman • McKay • Seaton • Udall • Hickel • Morton • Hathaway • Kleppe • Andrus • Watt • Clark • Hodel • Lujan • Babbitt • Norton • Kempthorne |
