▁the ▁state ▁milit ia , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 3 4 ▁had ▁ris en ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁deput y ▁sh er iff ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁sh er iff ▁of ▁the ▁County ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 4 ▁to ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁commission ers ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁lun atic ▁as yl um ▁at ▁Ut ica , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 8 . ▁When ▁he ▁was ▁removed ▁from ▁this ▁post ▁on ▁political ▁grounds , ▁he ▁engaged ▁in ▁bank ing , ▁first ▁as ▁c ash ier ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁president , ▁at ▁the ▁Moh awk ▁Bank . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁state ▁inspect or ▁of ▁turn p ikes , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁commission er ▁and ▁super visor ▁of ▁schools . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁aud itor ▁and ▁deput y ▁naval ▁officer ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁and ▁served ▁four ▁years . ▁ ▁Congress man ▁Sp inner ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁an ▁anti - s la very ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁Congress . ▁An ▁active ▁Republican ▁from ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁party , ▁he ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 5 th ▁and ▁ 3 6 th ▁United ▁States ▁Congress es , ▁altogether ▁serving ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 5 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1