Granger, Francis

Granger, Francis, 1792–1868, American political leader, b. Suffield, Conn. He practiced law in Canandaigua, N.Y., and served (1826–28, 1830–32) in the New York state legislature. A prominent leader of the Anti-Masonic party, he was twice (1830, 1832) defeated for governor as its nominee. He was elected as a Whig to Congress in 1834. Appointed Postmaster General by President William Henry Harrison, Granger resigned (1841) with other cabinet members at Harrison's death. After another term (1841–43) in Congress, he became a leader of the conservative Whigs who opposed their party's drift toward radical antislavery views. He favored the Compromise of 1850, and with a small following withdrew (1850) from the Whig convention at Syracuse when resolutions were adopted endorsing William H. Seward's opposition to the compromise measures.