PLATT, Orville Hitchcock, senator, born in Washington, Connecticut, 19 July, 1827. He was educated in the public schools, was admitted to the bar in 1849, and began practice in Meriden, Connecticut He was clerk of the state senate in 1855-'6, secretary of state in 1857, state senator in 1861-'2, and a member of the legislature in 1864-'9, serving as speaker in the latter year. He was elected to the United States senate as a Republican in 1878, and was re-elected in 1884 for the term that will end in March, 1891. Mr. Platt has been an earnest advocate of the abolition of secret executive sessions of the senate. Yale gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1887.