He held the post only briefly, and resigned in 1852 to move to San Francisco to form a new law office with Rufus A. Lockwood.

But when it was found he was ineligible due to his age, the party's Central Committee chose Hammond, a former Whig.

In it he suggested several new laws, and offered a temporary solution to the problems caused by the gridlock in the assembly.

She has never attempted, directly or indirectly, the evade or avoid any of the requirements of the Federal Constitution, and no man could doubt that if the same could be said of every other state, instead of discord, harmony would reign throughout our borders.

Let us take pride in maintaining the high position we have thus far occupied as a conservative, union-loving state, and while we throw our weight into the scale in favor of any practice mode of settling the present trouble, let us continue to aid in the permanent and more lasting settlement that must flow from any restoration of amity and cordiality among our people, North and South.

[6] In his speech, Hammond convinced the Assembly to send delegates to a Peace Congress held among most of the states in an attempt to negotiate a compromise on the slavery issue and avoid war.

The nation was, however, already set for war, and Indiana would become to first western state to mobilize forces for the invasion of the south less than four months later.

[2] Soon after he had completed his term as governor, Hammond came to be severely afflicted with rheumatism and asthma, and retired from public life.