John Elliott Ward ( October 2 , 1814 – November 29 , 1902 ) was an American politician and diplomat . He served as United States Attorney for Georgia , mayor of Savannah , Georgia , speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives , president of the Georgia Senate , president of the 1856 Democratic National Convention , and United States Minister to China under James Buchanan . He resigned from his diplomatic post shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War , returned to Savannah , and after the war , moved to New York City , where he practiced law for several years
1856 Democratic National Convention
1856 Democratic National Convention
John Elliott Ward