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Born in 1827, was U. S. District Attorney for Indiana from 1858 to 1861. He represented Indiana in the U. S. Congress as a Democrat from 1861 to 1866 and from 1869 to 1873. In 1877 he became a U. S. Senator, and has served on the Finance Committee until the present time (1893). He has been prominent as an advocate of free silver coinage, but in 1893 led the opposition thereto. His present term expires in 1897.