▁was ▁bre v ett ed ▁ ▁Brig ad ier ▁General . ▁After wards ▁he ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁in ▁St . ▁Joh ns . ▁ ▁Sp a ul ding ▁served ▁as ▁Michigan ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁After wards , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁State ▁committee ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁decl ined ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁district ▁judge ▁of ▁the ▁Ut ah ▁Territ ory ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁and ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁special ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Tre as ury ▁Department ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁ ▁Sp a ul ding ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁from ▁Michigan ' s ▁ 6 th ▁con gression al ▁district ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 6 th ▁Congress ▁serving ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁to ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁commission ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Sand wich ▁Islands ▁to ▁investigate ▁alleg ed ▁viol ations ▁of ▁the ▁Hawai ian ▁reci pro city ▁treat y ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁Oliver ▁Sp a ul ding ▁again ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁special ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Tre as ury ▁in ▁ 1 8