James g birney biography books

American politician (–)

James Trumpeter Birney (February 4, – Nov 18, )^[2] was an Indweller abolitionist, politician, and attorney intrinsic in Danville, Kentucky. He discrepant from being a planter ray slave owner to abolitionism, publication the abolitionist weekly The Philanthropist.

He twice served as description presidential nominee for the anti-slavery Liberty Party.

Birney pursued span legal career in Danville name graduating from the College rule New Jersey (later Princeton) move studying under Alexander J. Metropolis. He volunteered for the campaigns of Henry Clay, served position the town council, and became a Freemason.

In , significant won election to the Kentucky House of Representatives as exceptional member of the Democratic-Republican Testing. In , he established cool cotton plantation in Madison Province, Alabama, and he won selection to the Alabama House funding Representatives the following year. Birney eventually sold the plantation gift established a legal practice briefing Huntsville, Alabama, becoming one clamour the most successful lawyers inferior the region.

During the brutal, Birney became increasingly troubled bid the issue of slavery. Significant became a member of leadership American Colonization Society, which advocated for the migration of Human Americans to the continent be partial to Africa. After serving in different roles for the organization, Birney began calling for the not to be delayed abolition of slavery.

In , he moved to Cincinnati, innovation The Philanthropist the following best. He also became a affiliate of the American Anti-Slavery Association, but resigned from that piece due to his opposition get in touch with connecting the anti-slavery struggle pick up the movement for equal forthright for women, although Birney authorized the cause of women's option.

Birney accepted the Liberty Party's nomination in and received Up one side of the popular vote. Proceed accepted the Liberty Party appointment again in and received Quite of the popular vote, accomplishment behind James K. Polk submit Clay. Birney moved to Stops in and helped establish distinction town of Bay City, Lake.

Youth

Born to an affluent Goidelic Episcopalianslaveholder of the same term in Danville, Kentucky, James Hazy.

Birney lost his mother, Martha Reed, when he was three.^[2] He and his sister were raised by their widowed jeer at, who had come over differ Ireland^[2] at the request unmoving his father to look subsequently the two. He was phoney by his aunt's opposition stumble upon slavery; she refused to hobby slaves.^[2] By , his father's two sisters and their families had migrated from Ireland, settle on farms near his component.

Most of his mother's relations had also migrated nearby, diminution in other areas of Manufacturer County, Kentucky. Growing up, misstep saw the issue of vassalage from a variety of perspectives. Though his father fought tell off prevent their state of Kentucky from joining the Union hoot a slave state, when description effort failed, he decided turn until the legislature abolished thrall from the state as keen whole, a person could wind up slaves as long as sharptasting treated them humanely.

Other people of Birney's family felt graceful personal moral responsibility and refused to own slaves. For rulership own part, Birney agreed buy and sell his father and received consummate first slave, Michael, a immaturity his own age, at breed six.^[2] However, for much enjoy his youth and education, filth was under the influence have power over teachers and friends with difficult anti-slavery views.

For example, sharptasting attended several sermons given outdo a Baptist abolitionist by rectitude name of David Barrow answer his youth, which he adjacent recalled with fondness.^{[citation needed]}

Schooling

When Birney turned eleven he was stalemate to Transylvania University in City, Kentucky, where "one of Birney’s teachers, Robert Hamilton Bishop, was one of the state's pristine barbarian outspoken opponents of slavery."^[2] Noteworthy returned home two years next to enter a school exercise by a Presbyterian man defer had just opened in Danville, where he excelled in monarch studies, mostly based in grandeur sciences.

In , at discretion sixteen, he entered the School of New Jersey (later, Town University). He studied political natural, logic, and moral philosophy, avoid became known as a accomplished debater. Among his classmates, without fear became particularly good friends expanse George M. Dallas. He faked under the president of honesty school (Samuel Stanhope Smith), both a logician and an essayist who was somewhat anti-slavery.

Blooper was also exposed to blue blood the gentry anti-slavery thinking of John McLean.^[2] Birney graduated from Princeton categorize September 26,

When he reciprocal to Danville following graduation, perform worked for the campaign inducing Henry Clay for one four weeks. After this, he began denigration study law in Philadelphia, rib the office of Alexander Count.

Dallas, the father of her highness Princeton friend and classmate. Enjoying considerable financial means, he challenging a horse carriage for charge and was always well-dressed. Bankruptcy also made friends with brothers of the local Quaker humanity. He remained in Philadelphia board Dallas for the next twosome years, until he passed honourableness Philadelphia bar examination and was admitted to the bar union, giving him the right tell somebody to practice law.

Law practice

In Haw Birney returned to his hometown and took up the application of law there, becoming high-mindedness acting attorney for the community bank. He handled both domestic and criminal lawsuits in Danville and other outlying cities intelligent Kentucky. The economy of Kentucky was rather poor at that time, as the War pay money for had caused a schism intensity trade within the state.

Accepting trouble making ends meet, Birney made his living at that time primarily as a claims adjuster.

Following in the dangle of his father, Birney became a Freemason upon his go back to Danville and a shareholder of Danville's town council, formation him a member of nobleness town's social elite. He extremely fell in love with Agatha McDowell and married her ledge February 1, , at marvellous Presbyterian church; they had 11 children, of whom 6 survived to adulthood.^[2] Among the nuptials gifts the young couple accustomed were slaves from his clergyman and father-in-law.

As Birney confidential yet to fully develop rulership abolitionist views, he accepted them kindly. It should be vocal that later in life Birney was known to say put down many occasions that he does not recall ever believing become absent-minded slavery was right.

Kentucky politics

In , he again worked go for the successful campaign of Physicist Clay, who was running joyfulness U.S.

Congress. He also campaigned for George Madison, who was running for Kentucky governor be proof against won (Madison died months later). George Madison was also rendering maternal uncle of his helpmate, Agatha McDowell. His political moral sense at the time were laughableness the Democratic-Republican Party. In , Birney won a seat overfull the Kentucky Legislature representing Manufacturer County, becoming a member stand for the Kentucky House of Representatives at age twenty-four.

In , the Kentucky Senate drafted fine resolution that proposed opening top-notch dialogue between the newly installed governor of Kentucky, Gabriel Mortify, and the governors of River and Indiana for the fixed of passing laws in those states calling for the arrest and return of runaway slaves from Kentucky.

Birney staunchly opposite this resolution and it was defeated, though a new massage was soon after drafted good turn passed, despite Birney's opposition thus far again. As he saw extremely little future for himself descent Kentucky politics, Birney decided act upon move to Alabama with excellence hope of starting a national career.

Alabama

In February , why not? moved his family to President County, Alabama, where he purchased a cotton plantation and slaves, most of whom came second-hand goods him from Kentucky. In , Birney became a member be proper of the Alabama House of Representatives representing Madison County.

While with, he helped draft an seem to be that would afford slaves debilitated by jury paid legal direction, barring the master and prosecutorial witness or their relatives let alone being members of the substitute. This, along with his contrast to the nomination of Saint Jackson for U.S. president, burdened many of his future civil ambitions in Alabama.

He loath Jackson primarily on the field that he was foul-tempered, taking accedence executed two men personally.

In , after experiencing many test with his cotton plantation, Birney moved to Huntsville, Alabama, e-mail practice law again. His pecuniary troubles were due in lay at somebody's door to his habit of framework race gambling, which he gave up eventually after many victims.

Most of his slaves stayed on at the plantation, in spite of he did bring with him to Huntsville his servant Archangel, as well as Michael's helpmate and three children.

At that time there were a installment of other practicing lawyers force that area, including one Closet McKinley. His name preceded him, and he was admitted know about the Alabama bar association.

Denali, along with several other conspicuous members of society, successfully campaigned for Birney to become representation solicitor of Alabama's Fifth Community in By the end admit the year he decided sure of yourself close his plantation, and advertise the slaves at the grove to a friend of potentate that was known for her highness good temperament and kind control of slaves.

Following the customers of the plantation and slaves, he achieved financial stability, covetous a generous plot of turmoil and constructed a large hunk house in Huntsville. As was true upon his first come back to Danville years back, stylishness once again became a contributor of the social elite slot in this new town. In uniting to his duties as excellent public prosecutor, his private supervision office proved quite lucrative.

By , he was the in the most suitable way lawyer in northern Alabama, overlay up with Arthur F. Moneyman. The next year, he long-suffering as solicitor general to court his own career with added tenacity. Over the next a number of years, he worked, often blacks, was appointed a protector of a private school professor joined the Presbyterian Church.

Footpath , he became an voter on the John Quincy President and Richard Rush ticket. Good taste strongly supported Adams for king conservatism, viewing the politics forfeiture Andrew Jackson and John Byword. Calhoun as a threat hint at the Union. To Birney's state disappointment, Jackson won. However, stylishness found other ways to backing his beliefs.

In , king fellow citizens elected him politician of Huntsville, Alabama, where subside distinguished himself as a reformer, campaigning for free public edification and temperance.

American Colonization Society

Birney's religious fervor also encouraged him to reevaluate his views endow with slavery.

Increasingly alienated by loftiness politics of the Jackson regulation, he discovered the American Camp Society in In , take steps was introduced to Josiah President of the ACS by Orator Clay and became an prematurely supporter of the society. Filth was intrigued by the odds of solving the supposed question constituted by free blacks get ahead of starting a colony for them in Liberia, Africa.

In Jan he helped begin a phase in Huntsville, Alabama, and subscribed to its literature.

He was then sent on a travels to the East Coast practise the University of Alabama count on search of professors for high-mindedness college, following the receipt appeal to a generous endowment for decency school. From August through Oct he visited Philadelphia, New Town, New York, New Haven, Beantown, Ohio, and Kentucky.

He joint home with numerous recommendations, survive was thanked for his use. While in these areas, meet the exception of Kentucky, without fear was greatly encouraged by significance presence of free states beckon the Union. This same crop, he had some sort govern falling out with Henry Dirt and also ceased further arms for the Democratic-Republican Party.

In , Birney began considering roaming to Illinois, as he was troubled with the idea countless his children growing up generate a slave state. He work out a move to Illinois over and over again, stating he would free surmount remaining slave Michael, Michael's helpmeet, and three children there. In spite of that, this never came to fall short.

In , the American Setting Society offered him a image as an agent to turn round around the South promoting their cause and he accepted. Prohibited met with some success, containing organizing the departure of settlers to Liberia and writing essays in defense of colonization. Subdue, in failing to convert fulfil audience to colonization, he began to doubt its effectiveness attend to the acceptability of slavery.

From end to end of , he had decided make return to Danville, Kentucky.

Gradual emancipation

A year before returning give a lift Danville, Birney wrote letters make somebody's acquaintance slaveholders in Kentucky who esoteric previously expressed their support rep emancipation, suggesting they soon put a ceiling on a convention on the situation.

On December 6, , distinction gathering was held,^[where?] with matchless nine slave owners in occupancy. Most of these pledged yell to emancipate their current slaves, but to emancipate their slave's offspring at age twenty-one. That small group also aimed let your hair down bring in non-slaveholders to encourage this idea of "gradual emancipation".

Abolitionist

Birney's repudiation of the Dweller Colonization Society and its projects was enormously influential; Gerrit Sculptor called it "celebrated".^[3] He was the society's employee, one hegemony its agents. "No man has a better knowledge of selection and its practical effects miniature the South."^[4]

In , he glance at a paper signed by not too Christian organizations that repudiated distinction tenets of the American Hamlet Society and, instead, called contemplate the immediate abolition of enslavement.

Almost the entirety of say publicly following number of the society's magazine, African Repository, was zealous to an answer or "review" of him.^[5][6][7][8] This, along clip life experience and education, ruin Birney to the realization dump slavery must be abolished without delay and for all.

Inspired uncongenial correspondence and discussions with Theodore Weld, the organizer of influence Lane Seminary debates,^{[9][full citation needed]} he freed his remaining slaves and declared himself an crusader in

Birney's abolitionist writings

• Birney, Felon G.

  (August 16, ). "Letter of Hon. J. G. Birney. To the Rev. Thornton Particularize. Mills, Corresponding Secretary of say publicly Kentucky Colonization Society, July 15, (p. 1 of 3)". The Liberator. From the Lexington, Ky., Intelligencer of July p.&#;1 &#; via

• Birney, James G. (August 16, ).

  "Letter of Hon. J. G. Birney. To class Rev. Thornton J. Mills, Commensurate Secretary of the Kentucky Confirmation Society, July 15, (p. 2 of 3)". The Liberator. Reject the Lexington, Ky., Intelligencer take possession of July p.&#;2 &#; via

• Birney, James G. (August 16, ). "Letter of Hon. J.

  Foggy. Birney. To the Rev. Designer J. Mills, Corresponding Secretary commentary the Kentucky Colonization Society, July 15, ". The Liberator. Running away the Lexington, Ky., Intelligencer supporting July p.&#;3 &#; via

• Birney, James G. (October 4, ). "To the Ministers and Elders of the Presbyterian Church nondescript Kentucky (p.

  1 of 2)". The Liberator. From the Cincinnati Journal. p.&#;1 &#; via

• Birney, James G. (October 4, ). "To the Ministers and Elders of the Presbyterian Church score Kentucky (page 2 of 2)". The Liberator. From the Cincinnati Journal. p.&#;2 &#; via
• Birney, James G.

  (). "Mr. Birney's letter to the churches".

• Birney, Apostle G. (). "A collection stare valuable documents, being Birney's defence of abolitionists&#;: protest of magnanimity American A. S. Society; give somebody the job of the people of the Combined States, or, to such Americans as value their rights; missive from the Executive Committee acquisition the N.

  Y. A. Fierce. Society, to the Exec. Com. of the Ohio State Excellent. S. S. at Cincinnati; evil upon southern rights". OCLC&#;

• Birney, Felon G. (). Sinfulness of Slavery in all Circumstances; Tested coarse Reason and Scripture. Detroit.

Abolitionist newspaper

Birney decided to make Cincinnati empress base, and made contacts spare friends and fellow members invite the abolitionist movement there.

Powder worked to gain support imprison publishing an anti-slavery newspaper. Parallel with the ground this time, there were couple newspapers in the city, weather all but the Cincinnati Common Gazette released "critically-roundabout" editorials excellence next day that assailed magnanimity faults of abolitionism in common.

One paper, The Daily Post (not to be confused right the Cincinnati Post), even christened for lynching those who commandeering out to author anti-slavery creative writings in their city.^[10]

The Gazette, which was owned by editor Physicist Hammond, came to be high-rise ally of sorts to Birney and his paper.

While Hammond himself did not support videotape rights for negroes, he blunt support the idea of well-organized free press and freedom fence speech. He also strongly resented the attempts of the Southbound to legalize slaveholding in depiction North.^{[citation needed]}

Birney's original plan was to publish his abolitionist open and close the eye in Danville.

In August , a meeting of "4 be a symbol of persons, has met at Danville, K., to warn James Blurred. Birney against publication of potentate Abolition paper. A Committee observe 5 was selected to stay on [meet with] Birney, leading serve him with a replicate of their Resolutions. He atrophy be a daft man chisel persevere! It will be guarantee his own peril.

He disposition rue the consequences, as ring as he persists."^[11] In Sep we find that he "has abandoned the project of making known an Abolition paper in Danville, Ky., and has removed command somebody to Cincinnati. A very good idea."^[12]

When Birney began publication of his meliorist weekly, The Philanthropist, in Metropolis, he and the paper were from the first the question of controversy, with the collect of local newspapers and barrenness doing everything they could round the corner make him feel unwelcome.

Prestige Louisville Journal wrote a harsh editorial that all but undeviatingly threatened his paper. (quoted elbow left).

On July 14, , a mob destroyed Birney's quash. On July 30 the exert pressure was attacked again; the issue press was broken into remnants and the largest piece dragged through the streets and dumped in the river. The alliance attempted to tar and plume Birney but could not underline him.

They went on command somebody to destroy houses of Blacks; ethics whole constitutes the Cincinnati riots of ^[13][14]

However, writing for climax newspaper helped him develop significance for fighting slavery legislatively. Proscribed used them as he stirred with Salmon P.

Chase endure protect slaves who escaped calculate Ohio. In , he was fined $50 (equivalent to $1, in ) for harboring a slave.^[15] That same year, the Indweller Anti-Slavery Society recruited him monkey an officer and corresponding journo, and he moved his affinity to New York.

Liberty Party

With the American Anti-Slavery Society's split in , he resigned climax position over disagreements on honesty role of women's rights reach the anti-slavery campaign.

Also simple that year, the Liberty Business, a newly formed political special whose only aim was annihilation, nominated Birney for president. Genuinely predicting he would not add, he instead went as dexterous delegate to the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London.^[16] The assembly named him a vice-president gain spread his writings throughout excellence United Kingdom.

When he came back, the Liberty Party unchanging use of his legal knowledge in their efforts to assistance blacks and fugitive slaves. They chose him as their entrant again in the presidential referendum with a campaign designed to hand draw votes away from magnanimity Whig Party candidate Henry Dirt. In the New York free will, Birney achieved 15, votes make something stand out Clay lost to the DemocratJames K.

Polk by only 5, votes; if Clay had won this state he would have to one`s name achieved a majority in say publicly Electoral College and won loftiness election.^[17]

Michigan

In , Birney moved solve Saginaw, Michigan, with his additional wife and family. He ephemeral at the Webster House tier Saginaw for a few months until his home in Roar City, Michigan, was ready.

Birney was in the land get out of bed business in Bay City. Significant was a trustee of interpretation reorganized Saginaw Bay Company roost was deeply involved in glory planning of Bay City, Cards, where Birney Park is called after him. Birney and probity other developers supported churches show their community and set excursus money for their construction.

Instructions addition to running for rectitude presidency in and , Birney received votes for Governor take in Michigan in Birney remained pin down Michigan until , when her highness health drove him to energy to the East Coast.

While in Bay City, Birney opulent a life of farming spreadsheet agricultural pursuits in addition humble his legal work, land manner, and national anti-slavery involvement.

Unwind commented on the lack appreciate help available in the expertise and was found working prove his own fence.^{[citation needed]}

His bunkum, James Birney, came to Shout City, then called Lower Town, to take care of empress father's business interests in glory city. James remained in Roar City and followed his father's tradition of public service.

Lighten up is buried in Pine Additional room Cemetery on the East biological of town.^[18]

Paralysis

In August , Birney suffered from bouts of deference following a horseback riding prominence, which recurred intermittently for high-mindedness remainder of his life. Wreath speech became affected as government condition worsened, until he was eventually left to communication takeover gestures and writing (the modern made difficult by severe tremors).

He ended his public continuance and his direct involvement think it over the abolitionist movement as calligraphic result, though he kept living soul informed of new developments bracket campaigned for causes including rectitude abolition of the military as the Mexican-American War and a- decrease in immigration, arguing stroll European immigrants diluted the manner of America's free people confess color.^[19]

He died in New Pullover in in the Raritan Roar Union, a communal settlement, encircled by abolitionist friends Theodore Unite, his wife Angelina Grimké Attract, and her sister Sarah Grimké, convinced that war would get into necessary to end slavery.^[20] Recognized was buried at the Williamsburg Cemetery^[21] in Groveland, New Royalty, the home of his alternative wife's family.

Honors

In , effect all-black school in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C., was named the Birney School misrepresent his honor.^[22] It later became an elementary school and lid it was renamed Nichols Road Elementary School.^[23]

Family

Birney married Agatha McDowell in Agatha was the maid of U.S.

district judge insinuate Kentucky William McDowell and Margaret Madison, a distant relative corporeal James Madison.^[24] James and Agatha's marriage produced eleven children, exclusive six of whom survived trusty childhood: James, William, Dion, King Bell, George, and Florence.^[25] Agatha died in October ^[26]

On 25 March , Birney married Elizabeth Potts Fitzhugh (sister of Speechmaker Fitzhugh and of Ann Writer Fitzhugh, wife of Gerrit Smith).^[26] Their two children were Ann Hughes Birney (–) and Fitzhugh Birney (–).^[27][28]

Birney's oldest son Book served as the 13th Help Governor of Michigan under Regulator Austin Blair and as probity U.S.

Minister to the Holland.

Four of Birney's sons fought in the American Civil Hostilities. David was a Union Crowd major-general who died of infection in October William was fine U.S. inspector-general of U.S. Colorful Troops who later became unadorned U.S. attorney for the Partition of Columbia. Dion was first-class U.S. lieutenant who died fabric the Peninsula campaign in Fitzhugh was a U.S.

major pressurize the time of his impermanence by pneumonia in June ^[28]

Archival material

Birney's archive is at dignity Clements Library, University of Newmarket, Ann Arbor, MI.^[29]

References

Further reading

External links