Joseph Homan Manley
Encyclopedia
Joseph Homan Manley was an American
Republican Party
official (Chairman of the party's National Executive Committee 1894-96) and close associate of Maine
Republican politician and presidential candidate James G. Blaine
.
Born in Bangor, Maine
, Manley first attended school in Farmington, Maine, and subsequently studied law in Boston
and at Albany Law School
in New York
. In 1866 he was president of the Augusta, Maine
City Council, where he first became associated with Blaine. In 1869-76 he was an agent of the Internal Revenue Service, posted in various cities around the northeast, and in 1876-78 was an agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad
in its tax dealings with the Federal government. Manley then returned to Maine and, purchasing a half-interest in the newspaper The Maine Farmer (formally edited by his father), made it into a major voice for Blaine-style Republicanism. Blaine subsequently secured Manley's appointment as Augusta's U.S. postmaster (an important federal post under the then-existing spoils system
). The large Richardsonian Romanesque
U.S. Post Office Building in Augusta is one of his legacies. Manley subsequently became Blaine's right-hand man on the Maine Republican State Committee, on which he served 1881-1900, and which he chaired for 15 of those years.
Manley was the Maine delegate on National Republican Committee (1887–1900), and often served on the Republican National Executive Committee (a nine-member steering committee appointed by the Chairman of the NRC). In 1894, then-NRC Chairman Thomas Henry Carter
resigned the Executive Committee Chairmanship in favor of Manley, while retaining nominal control of the NRC. This set the stage for Manley to personally manage the 1896 presidential candidacy of Thomas Brackett Reed
, who was nonetheless defeated for the Republican nomination by William McKinley
. McKinley's victory in the convention gave Mark Hanna
control of the NRC, though Manley stayed on to run the party's New York headquarters, serving as Secretary of the National Committee and chairing various sub-committees until 1900.
Manley also held a variety of state offices, serving in the Maine House of Representatives
(1899–1901, and as its Speaker in 1901), and the Maine State Senate (1903–04), but his power base was always the Republican Party itself. His wife was the daughter of a former Maine governor, and his son also became a Republican politico in New York City.
Manley's New York Times
obituary describes him quite frankly as "a national politician who was identified with vast corporate interests".
Manley married the daughter of former Maine governor Samuel Cony
and was a driving force behind the building of Cony High School
in Augusta.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican Party
History of the United States Republican Party
The United States Republican Party is the second oldest currently existing political party in the United States after its great rival, the Democratic Party. It emerged in 1854 to combat the Kansas Nebraska Act which threatened to extend slavery into the territories, and to promote more vigorous...
official (Chairman of the party's National Executive Committee 1894-96) and close associate of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
Republican politician and presidential candidate James G. Blaine
James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
.
Born in Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, Manley first attended school in Farmington, Maine, and subsequently studied law in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and at Albany Law School
Albany Law School
Albany Law School is an ABA accredited law school based in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1851 by Amos Dean , Amasa Parker, Ira Harris and others....
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1866 he was president of the Augusta, Maine
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
City Council, where he first became associated with Blaine. In 1869-76 he was an agent of the Internal Revenue Service, posted in various cities around the northeast, and in 1876-78 was an agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
in its tax dealings with the Federal government. Manley then returned to Maine and, purchasing a half-interest in the newspaper The Maine Farmer (formally edited by his father), made it into a major voice for Blaine-style Republicanism. Blaine subsequently secured Manley's appointment as Augusta's U.S. postmaster (an important federal post under the then-existing spoils system
Spoils system
In the politics of the United States, a spoil system is a practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party—as opposed to a system of awarding offices on the...
). The large Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
U.S. Post Office Building in Augusta is one of his legacies. Manley subsequently became Blaine's right-hand man on the Maine Republican State Committee, on which he served 1881-1900, and which he chaired for 15 of those years.
Manley was the Maine delegate on National Republican Committee (1887–1900), and often served on the Republican National Executive Committee (a nine-member steering committee appointed by the Chairman of the NRC). In 1894, then-NRC Chairman Thomas Henry Carter
Thomas Henry Carter
Thomas Henry Carter was a delegate, a United States Representative, and a U.S. Senator from Montana.-Early life:...
resigned the Executive Committee Chairmanship in favor of Manley, while retaining nominal control of the NRC. This set the stage for Manley to personally manage the 1896 presidential candidacy of Thomas Brackett Reed
Thomas Brackett Reed
Thomas Brackett Reed, , occasionally ridiculed as Czar Reed, was a U.S. Representative from Maine, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889–1891 and from 1895–1899...
, who was nonetheless defeated for the Republican nomination by William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. McKinley's victory in the convention gave Mark Hanna
Mark Hanna
Marcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
control of the NRC, though Manley stayed on to run the party's New York headquarters, serving as Secretary of the National Committee and chairing various sub-committees until 1900.
Manley also held a variety of state offices, serving in the Maine House of Representatives
Maine House of Representatives
The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...
(1899–1901, and as its Speaker in 1901), and the Maine State Senate (1903–04), but his power base was always the Republican Party itself. His wife was the daughter of a former Maine governor, and his son also became a Republican politico in New York City.
Manley's New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
obituary describes him quite frankly as "a national politician who was identified with vast corporate interests".
Manley married the daughter of former Maine governor Samuel Cony
Samuel Cony
Samuel Cony was an American politician, who most notably served as the 31st Governor of Maine from 1864 to 1867.- Early years :...
and was a driving force behind the building of Cony High School
Cony High School
Cony High School is a public school located in Augusta, Maine that educates students from 7th to 12th grade. Cony draws its students from Augusta, as well as the surrounding communities of Chelsea, China, Jefferson, Palermo, Somerville, Vassalboro, Whitefield, and Windsor.The school's origins are...
in Augusta.