Dr. Henry Latimer (April 24 1752 – December 19 1819) was an American politician from the state of Delaware during the early years of the United States.
Latimer was born in Newport, Delaware and pursued classical studies. He eventually decided to study medicine, and attended the University of Pennsylvania. In 1773 he traveled to Scotland to study at Edinburgh College. He returned to the colonies in 1775 just as the Revolutionary War was breaking out. Latimer served as a mobile surgeon for the continental army during the war. He would also serve as president of the Board of Trustees of Newark College while serving as U. S. Senator.
Latimer entered politics after the war, serving as a member of the Delaware House of Representatives from 1787 to 1788 and again in 1790 when he was the Speaker of the House. In 1794 he was chosen to serve in the United States House of Representatives by action of the House after disputing the election of his opponent but soon resigned from the House when he was elected to fill the vacant Senate seat of Senator George Read.
He served as a U.S. Senator from Delaware from 1795 until 1801 when he resigned. He was a Federalist. Some believe that the reason for his resignation was that he that he was unhappy over the tactics of his political opponents who were still bitter over the circumstances of the contested election in 1794.
Latimer then retired from politics and died in Philadelphia. He was buried at the Presbyterian cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware.
After a statement that "the laboring classes lived too well to be happy and should be reduced to the fate of the Irish" was misattributed to him, his enemies fired a cannon loaded with potatoes and herring in response.