was President of the Tennessee Coal & Iron Company for several years. Early political career Platt's political involvement began at the Republican Party's inception; he made his first appearance in politics in 1856 in the campaign of the party's first presidential candidate, John C. Frémont. Running as a Republican, he was elected clerk of Tioga County, serving from 1859 to 1861. He was elected as a Republican to the 43rd United States Congress and the 44th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1877. His influence on statewide politics began on his return from Congress in 1877, when he aligned with the "Stalwart" faction led by U.S. senator Roscoe Conkling at the party's state convention, and against the "Half-Breed" faction loyal to President Rutherford B. Hayes. In 1876, Platt declined to seek re-election to the House. During the same year in the 1876 United States presidential election, he joined the "Conkling for President" movement when he attended a Republican National Convention for the first time. A grateful and responsive Sen. Conkling in turn appointed Platt to become the GOP State Committee chairman. Garfield nominates Robertson; Conkling and Platt resign In January 1881 he was elected with the support of the Stalwart faction to represent New York in the United States Senate. His election was ensured due to an intraparty compromise with Republican Half-Breed candidate Chauncey M. Depew, who also sought the seat. Preceding the party nominations, Depew told Platt: "You can have my strength if as senator you will support [Garfield]." Platt agreed to the terms, purportedly having responded: Responding to this, a supporter of Depew speculated if Platt would unwavering support Garfield such that the latter nominates W. H. Robertson to a lucrative post; Platt replied in the affirmative. He became a member of the Forty-seventh Congress and the chairman of the Committee on Enrolled Bills. However, he served only from March 4 to May 16, 1881, when he and Conkling resigned because of a disagreement with President James Garfield over federal appointments in New York. The cause of their resignations was Garfield's appointment of Robertson, a leader of anti-Conkling forces, as Collector of the Port of New York. Soon afterward, however, Garfield's assassination by Charles J. Guiteau, a self-proclaimed Stalwart who claimed friendships with Platt and Conkling, was the finishing blow for their faction. Platt's compromise with Depew sparked the cascade of events that