KING, PRESTON ( 1806-65). An American po litical leader and legislator, born in Ogdensburg, N. Y. Ile graduated at Union College in 1827, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Saint Lawrence County. In 1530 lie founded and became editor of the Saint Lawrence Republican, which was the principal organ of the Jackson Party in northern New York State. As a rewind for his services Presi dent Jackson appointed him in 1833 postmaster at Ogdensburg, and in the following year he occupied his first political otlice as a member of the New York .Assembly, to which lie was re elected in the three succeeding years. lit 1842 be was elected to the Twenty-eighth Congress, and he was also reelected to the Twenty-ninth Congress, serving front 1843 to 1847. He was again a candidate in 1848, this time as a 'Free Soil Democrat, and was rcigeeted in 1850. lie re
mained a Democrat, although associated with the anti-slavery branch of the party, until the.for /nation of the 11cpubliean Pary in 185-1. He be came the Republican candidate fur Secretary of State in 1855, and in 1856 took the slump for Tremont. In 1857, the Republicans having ob tained control of the New York Legislature, he was elected by that party to the United States Senate, in which lie remained until 1863. In 1864 he was a delegate to the Republican Con vention at Baltimore, where lie was one of those who engineered the nomination of Andrew John son for the Vice-Presidency. a service which the latter, when he became President, rewarded by appointing King Collector of the I'ort of New York. He committed suicide by jumping from a Hudson River ferryboat on November 12, 1865, while temporarily insane.