Sereno Elisha Payne (June 26, 1843 – December 10, 1914) was a United States representative from NYCongDel, New York and the first House Majority Leader, holding the office from 1899 to 1911. He was a Republican Party (United States), Republican congressman from 1883 to 1887 and then from 1889 to his death in 1914. He was chairman of the House United States House Committee on Ways and Means, Ways and Means Committee for 12 years starting in 1899. The Payne–Aldrich Tariff is perhaps the most significant legislation he introduced during that period. He was known as a staunch protectionist.
Payne was born in Hamilton, New York, on June 26, 1843. He attended the Auburn Academy in Auburn, New York, and then graduated from the University of Rochester in 1864. A lawyer, he was admitted to the bar in 1866 and practiced in Auburn, rising to become the Cayuga County, New York, Cayuga County district attorney from 1873 to 1879. Payne served in a number of administrative roles for the city of Auburn, as city clerk in 1867–8, supervisor in 1871–2, and president of the board of education from 1879 to 1882. He was appointed a member of the American-British Joint High Commission in January 1899.
Payne was elected as a Republican to the 48th United States Congress, Forty-eighth and 49th United States Congress, Forty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887). He was elected into the 51st United States Congress, Fifty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Newton W. Nutting and was reelected to the twelve succeeding Congresses (December 2, 1889 – December 10, 1914). During his tenure, he served as chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries (54th United States Congress, Fifty-fourth and 55th United States Congress, Fifty-fifth Congresses), chairman of the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, Ways and Means Committee (Fifty-fifth through 61st United States Congress, Sixty-first Congresses), and House Majority Leader, majority leader (57th United States Congress, Fifty-seventh through Sixty-first Congresses). He was reelected to the 64th United States Congress, Sixty-fourth Congress but died before that term began.
He died on December 10, 1914, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.
See also
* List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)
References
Ways and Means referenceSereno E. Payne, late a representative from New York, Memorial addresses delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate frontispiece 1916
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Payne, Sereno E.
1843 births
1914 deaths
Majority leaders of the United States House of Representatives
New York (state) lawyers
County district attorneys in New York (state)
School board members in New York (state)
University of Rochester alumni
People from Cayuga County, New York
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
People from Hamilton, New York
19th-century American politicians
Deans of the United States House of Representatives
19th-century American lawyers