Samuel D. Hastings began his career in public service as a Free Soiler, advocating for the prohibition of the admission of new slave states and the banning of slavery in federal territories. He transitioned to the Republican Party and served as Wisconsin State Treasurer. Hastings also had a significant role in the temperance movement, running for Governor and Assembly as a Prohibitionist candidate. His civic involvement included founding and serving as Treasurer for the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters.

Samuel D. Hastings's political career is marked by a consistent dedication to moral causes, notably anti-slavery and prohibition, yet his approach reveals an ideological agility. His early advocacy for the prohibition of new slave states and the banning of slavery in federal territories indicates a principled stand against slavery. However, his later involvement in the temperance movement, running for office under the Prohibitionist banner, suggests an unexpected convergence of seemingly disparate moral crusades. This blending of causes hints at a highly localized strategy, perhaps tailored to resonate with specific regional concerns.