naval affairs closed with the administration of President Arthur, March 4, 1885.
He was elected to the United States senate by the legislature of New Hampshire, June 14, 1887, to succeed Person C. Cheney who had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Austin F. Pike, October 8, 1886, until the next session of the legislature. Senator Pike's term expired March 4, 1889, and Senator Chandler was reelected for a full term June, 1889, and again June, 1895, his last term expiring March 3, 1901. His senatorial career extending over fourteen years was one of untiring activity on the floor of the senate and in the committees. He was a member of the committee on Immigration in six congresses and chairman in two; a member of the committee on Privileges and Elections in five congresses and chairman in two; a member of the committee on Interstate Commerce in five congresses; of the committee on Naval Affairs in five congresses; of the committee on Indian Depredations in four congresses; of the committee on Epidemic Diseases; National Banks (select) and Post Offices and Post Roads in two congresses and of the committees on Indian Traders (chairman). Railroads, Census, Improvements of the Mississippi, Additional Accomodations for the Library of Congress, and Relations with Cuba in one congress. In 1901 President McKinley appointed him president of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission.
He was married June 29, 1859, to Ann Caroline, daughter of Governor Joseph Albree and Ann (Whipple) Gilmore; and a second time, December 23, 1874, to Lucy Lambert, daughter of Honorable John Parker and Lucy Hill (Lambert) Hale. He received the honorary degrees of A.M. in 1866 and LL.D., 1900, from Dartmouth college. In his choice of profession he was influenced by an edict from his father to the effect that he had "better go and be a lawyer," and he went. As to the matter of success and failure in his fife he says: "I have succeeded beyond any expectation. The only lesson I would like to teach is that it is seldom that anyone succeeds in anything immediately, exactly when, and as he planned, and to the fullest extent. There is almost always a partial success and a partial defeat; a final success after failure. The lesson is perseverance — not to give up, but to try again and in all ways. Persistency is of the utmost importance."
