ELIOT, Thomas Dawes, congressman, born in Boston, Massachusetts, 20 March 1808 ; died in New Bedford, Massachusetts, 12 June 1870. He was graduated at Columbian College, Washington, D. C., in 1825, studied law in Washington and New Bedford, and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. After being a member of both houses of the legislature, he was elected to congress as a Whig, to fill the unexpired term of Zeno Scudder, serving from 17 April 1854, till 3 March 1855, and making an eloquent speech on the Kansas Nebraska bill, which was published (Washington, 1854). He was prominent in the Free-soil convention at Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1855, and on the dissolution of the Whig party was active among the founders of the Republican Party in Massachusetts. He declined its nomination for attorney general in 1857, but was afterward elected to congress again for five successive terms, serving from 1859 till 1869. Mr. Eliot took an active part in the proceedings of the house, particularly in the legislation on the protection and well, are of the Negroes.