Benjamin T. Biggs - United States Congress

United States Congress

Biggs was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in the 1860 election, but was narrowly defeated by the People’s Party candidate, George P. Fisher. The People’s Party was a local coalition of the Republicans and Constitutional Union Party, and the positions of people, like Fisher, on the great issues of the day were not yet clear. By 1868 they were, and after Delaware had experienced the humiliation of Federal supervision of its polling places, and the forced emancipation of its few slaves, a large majority turned permanently to the candidates of the Democratic Party. When Biggs ran again for the U.S. House, he was easily elected, defeating Republican Alfred T. Torbert in the 1868 election, and Joshua T. Heald in the 1870 election. But popularity in Delaware did not result in anything useful in the U.S. House, as Biggs joined a small and powerless minority in the 41st and 42nd Congress. He served two terms, from March 4, 1869 until March 3, 1873, during the administration of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and then retired, back to his peach orchards.