▁and ▁pract iced ▁law . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁assistant ▁secretary ▁of ▁state ▁ 1 8 2 9 – 1 8 3 1 . ▁Pract iced ▁law ▁in ▁Buff alo ▁ 1 8 3 1 – 1 8 4 0 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁assembly ▁ 1 8 3 3 , ▁ 1 8 3 4 , ▁and ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁Sur rog ate ▁of ▁Er ie ▁County ▁ 1 8 3 3 – 1 8 3 6 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Com mer cial ▁Bank ▁of ▁Buff alo ▁ 1 8 4 0 – 1 8 4 2 . ▁Gra in ▁merchant . ▁ ▁H atch ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁Th irty - fif th ▁Congress ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 ). ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Milit ia ▁( Th irty - fif th ▁Congress ). ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁to ▁the ▁Th irty - six th ▁Congress . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁President ▁Buch an an ▁as ▁post master ▁of ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁served ▁from ▁November ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁He ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law . ▁He ▁also ▁engaged ▁in ▁bank