Page "Thomas A. Hendricks" Paragraph 4

Hendricks ran for Congress in 1850 and was elected as a Democrat to the thirty-second and thirty-third Congresses serving from March 4, 1851 to March 4, 1855.

While in Congress, Hendricks was Chairman of the Committee on Mileage and the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

In Congress he supported the principle of popular-sovereignty and the extension of slavery into the western United States.

The position was very unpopular in his district and led to his defeat in his 1854 re-election campaign.

Following his tenure in Congress, Hendricks was appointed Commissioner of the General Land Office by President Franklin Pierce and served there from 1855 until 1859.

His time in the office was very busy as the government was going through one of its largest periods of land sales in history.

“ He was the first commissioner who apparently had no background or qualifications for the job.

...

Some of the rulings and letters during Hendrick's tenure were not always correct .”