xt75x63b021t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt75x63b021t/data/mets.xml Birney, William, 1819-1907. 1890  books b92b538j2009 English D. Appleton and Company : New York Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Birney, James Gillespie, 1792-1857. Republican Party (U.S.). Slavery --United States --Anti-slavery movements. James G. Birney and his times; the genesis of the Republican Party with some account of abolition movements in the South before 1828. text James G. Birney and his times; the genesis of the Republican Party with some account of abolition movements in the South before 1828. 1890 2009 true xt75x63b021t section xt75x63b021t 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
JAMES AND

G. HIS

BIENEY TIMES

THE

GENESIS WITH

OF T H E REPUBLICAN PARTY SOME ACCOUNT OF 1 823

ABOLITION MOVEMENTS IN T H E SOUTH BEFORE

BY

WILLIAM

BIENEY

E X - B R E V E T M A J O R - G E N E R A L , U N I T E D STATES VOLUNTEERS

T h e abolition of slavery in the U n i t e d w as neither an accident nor a m i r a c l e ; r esult of evolution.

S tates

it was a

NEW D. APPLETON

YORK AND COMPANY

1890

  
  
TO T H E S T U D E N T S OF A M E R I C A N
T H I S C O N T R I B U T I O N T O ITS IS R E S P E C T F U L L Y

HISTORY

MATERIAL

DEDICATED.

  
  
PREFACE.

S L A V E R Y a gitation in the United States may be considered in two great periods. The first begins w ith the j udicial a bolition of slavery i n Massachusetts i n 1783, and the anti-slavery Ordinance of 1787 for the government of the Territory northwest of the Ohio River, and ends w ith the abolition of slavery i n New Y o r k on the 4th of J uly, 1827. I n its course the number of free States increased f rom one to twelve, and the number of freedmcn nearly three hundred fold. It may be called the abolition era. I t was a part of the larger movement w hich began i n 1704 with the abolition of slavery i n the French "West Indies, extinguished it i n numerous European colonies and several South American republics, and ended w ith its a bolition in Mexico i n 1829, and in the B ritish West Indies i n 1833 by act of Parliament. T he second p eriod begins w ith the accession of General J ackson to the presidency i n 1829, and ends w ith the abolition of slavery i n the War of the Rebellion. I n the first period freedom was the assailant of slavery, seeking to extinguish it by moral and religious influences. I n the second, the slave-power was the assailant, seeking to overthrow the freedom of speech, of the press, and of the mails, the right of t rial by jury, the right of petition, and every other bulwark of c ivil l iberty to extend slavery over the Territories of the United States and gain undisputed political supremacy i n the nation.

  
vi

PREFACE.

I t was J A M E S G . B I R N E Y who first called abolitionists away from obsolete issues to the true one. I n the summer of 1 8 3 5 he abandoned his Southern home a nd removed to O hio, declaring that the slavery of the blacks had ceased to be the question before the country, and that the liberties of all American citizens and the safety of the republic were i n danger. During the following ten years he was recognized by the opponents of the slave-power as their leader. In 1 840, a nd again i n 1 844, he was made t heir candidate for the presidency by unanimous national conventions. No other name seems to have been t hought of i n connection with the nomination. His cordial admirer, ex-Representative George W . J ulian, of Indiana, writes of h im a nd his co-workers :
A b o l i t i o n i s m , as a w o r k i n g f orce i n our p o l i t i c s , had to have a b e g i n n i n g , a n d no man w h o cherishes the memory of the o l d F r e e - S o i l p a r t y , and of the larger one to w h i c h i t g ave b i r t h , w i l l w i t h h o l d the meed of h i s praise f r o m the heroic l i t t l e b a n d o f sappers a n d miners w h o b l a z e d the w a y for the armies w h i c h w ere to f o l l o w , a n d w hose v oices, t h o u g h but f a i n t l y heard i n the w h i r l w i n d o f 1840, were made d i s t i n c t l y a u d i b l e i n 1844. . . . T h e i r p o l i t i c a l creed was s u b s t a n t i a l l y that of the F r e e - S o i l e r s of 1 848 a n d the R e p u b l i c a n s of 1856 a n d 1800. T h e y were anyt h i n g b ut p o l i t i c a l fanatics, a n d h i s t o r y w i l l r ecord t h a t t h e i r s ole o ffense w as the espousal of the t r u t h i n advance of the m u l t i t u d e , w h i c h s l o w l y a n d f inally' f o l l o w e d i n t h e i r f ootsteps.

James G. Birney was respected even by the enemies of his cause. H e was universally regarded as without fear and without stain. The only charge ever made against him by any reputable person was of faithlessness to Henry Clay, i n the campaign of 1 8 4 4 ; and that was made by Horace Greeley i n the white heat of his disappointment at the failure of the W h i g campaign. M r . Greeley afterward retracted it. M r . J ulian says of those who voted for Mr. Birney:

  
PREFACE. N o w , i n the clear perspective of h i s t o r y , t h e y s t a n d v i n d i cated against t h e i r W h i g assailants, w h o s e f evered brains a n d p a r t y i ntolerance b l i n d e d t h e i r e yes t o the t r u t h ( " P o l i t i c a l R e c o l l e c t i o n s , " 1884, p. 43).

H on. C arl S churz is eminently f air i n his treatment of this subject, l i e says, i n his admirable biography of H enry C lay:
T h e L i b e r t y p a r t y consisted of earnest anti-slavery m e n p u r s u e d t h e i r o bjects b y p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n . p a t h y w i t h t hose abolitionists who g o v e r n m e n t " theories, w h o d e n o u n c e d lost themselves who T h e y were n o t i n s y m i n " nothe U n i o n a n d the C o n -

s t i t u t i o n a s a " c o v e n a n t w i t h d e a t h a n d agreement w i t h h e l l , " a n d w h o a b h o r r e d the exercise of the suffrage u n d e r the C o n s t i t u t i o n as a p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n s i n . ( vol. i i , p age 2 53). I n the language of B i r n e y , t h e y
T

" r e g a r d e d the n a t i o n a l C o n s t i t u t i o n w ith u n a b a t e d

affection"

A n d a gain:
B i r n e y , i ts c a n d i d a t e for the presidency, was a native of K e n tucky. A s laveholder b y i n h e r i t a n c e , he l i b e r a t e d h i s slaves speaker. of a n d p r o v i d e d generously for t h e m . O b e y i n g a h i g h s ense o f d u t y , he H e was a l a w y e r .of a b i l i t y , sacrificed the comforts

a g e n t l e m a n of c u l t u r e , a n d a v i g o r o u s a n d g r a c e f u l

w e a l t h , h ome, a n d p o s i t i o n to the cause of u n i v e r s a l f r e e d o m     n ot as a w i l d e nthusiast or u n r e a s o n i n g f a n a t i c , b u t as a c a l m t h i n k e r , t emperate i n language, a n d firm i n m a i n t a i n i n g h i s conclusions. H i s p r i n c i p a l c o n c l u s i o n was t h a t slavery and free institutions could not exist together. H e has been c h a r g e d w i t h c o m m i t t i n g a n act of personal faithlessness i n o p p o s i n g C l a y i n 1844. T h i s c harge was u t t e r l y u n j u s t . H e h a d never g i v e n C l a y o r I t is true, C l a y a n d B i r 1 834 ; b u t i n F r o m that C l a y ' s f riends any promise of support.

ney h a d m a i n t a i n e d a f r i e n d l y intercourse u n t i l

J u n e o f that year they h a d a c onference o n the subject of slavery w h i c h p r o d u c e d u p o n B i r n e y a d i s c o u r a g i n g e ffect. t i m e t h e i r f r i e n d l y intercourse ceased, a n d C l a y f o u n d i n B i r ney o n l y a severe c r i t i c ( S c h u r z ' s " H e n r y C l a y , " v o l . i i , p age 2 54).

  
v iii

PREFACE.

A n d a gain:
T h e o bject o f H e n r y C l a y ' s h i g h e s t a m b i t i o n escaped h i m b ecause, at the decisive moment, he was u n t r u e to h i m s e l f (ib., p age 2 05).

F or f orty years after the sudden close of his p olitical career the fame of James G. B irney escaped detraction. N umerous b iographical sketches of him were published i n magazines, cycloptedias, and newspapers; and to the tone of none of them could the most sensitive of his friends take exception. The unfriendly feeling of M r . G arrison t oward him was no secret i n the anti-slavery w orld; b ut the most devoted of M r . Garrison's friends d id not appear to share it. N o praise of M r . B irney was more cordial or appreciative than that bestowed on him by Samuel J . May, Oliver Johnson, and P arker P illsbury. T he first devotes to eulogistic narrative of him more than eight pages of his " Recollections of the A nti-Slavery C onflict" (pages 2 03-211); the second indorses M r . May's most eulogistic language, and adds that he was " a calm, d ignified, a nd cultured gentleman and C h r i s t i a n " ; and the t hird, i n his curious volume, " A c t s of the A n t i Slavery A postles," mentions him many times and alwa}'s i n the most k indly temper. "With s uch a consensus of favorable appreciation, there seemed to be no special need of a biography of James G. B irney. I t transpired, however, about 1883, that the sons of M r . Garrison were preparing an ample memoir of their father   -a work which, f rom a filial s tandpoint, involved the reproduction and expression of M r. G arrison's theories and prejudices. The first two volumes of the memoir appeared i n 1885. They were noticed as follows by Hon. A . G. Riddle, of Ohio, ex-Representative i n Congress, i n his book " T he L ife of B enjamin F . Wade," ex-United States Senator, published at Cleveland in 1 88G :

  
PREFACE.

ix

T o c l a i m the a r o u s i n g a n d m a r s h a l i n g of the f orce o f the m i n d a n d c onscience o f the m e n of the N o r t h against slavery, as p r e - e m i n e n t l y the w o r k of one m a n , is a t o t a l l y u n w a r r a n t e d assumption. T h e r e is a w a y of w r i t i n g h i s t o r y l a t e l y a t t e m p t e d to T h e w r i t e r s of the b i o g r a p h y of the late w h i c h , i f accepted w i t h o u t protest, w o u l d for the t i m e seem accomplish this t h i n g .

W . L . G a r r i s o n rely q u i t e e x t e n s i v e l y u p o n h i s " L i b e r a t o r " f o r a u t h o r i t y , a n d , t h u s sustained, there r e a l l y was b u t one c h a m p i o n o f G o d a n d freedom i n the N o r t h . S h o u l d the s ons o f the late J . G . B i r n e y a ccept t he challenge, w o r k as l a r g e l y a n d as n a r r o w l y , d r a w i n g t h e i r a u t h o r i t y f r o m a s i m i l a r s ource, t h e y w o u l d f or h i m m a k e a c ase e very w h i t as s t r o n g . t o i t , of value b e y o n d a t o nce s et about. estimation. Neither work would b e accepted finally as h i s t o r y ; b o t h w o u l d be great c o n t r i b u t i o n s T h i s last w o r k s h o u l d be advantage    M r . G a r r i s o n refused I t w o u l d have t h i s u n e q u a l e d

s lavery w as o v e r t h r o w n Inj political means.

t h e i r u se, o pposed w i t h t he m i g h t of h i s trenchant pen a n d r e s o u n d i n g v oice t h e i r e m p l o y m e n t a n d the m e n w h o used t h e m . M r . B i r n e y was a m o n g the first to see t h a t the most c ourse b y a l l the m o r a l forces. effective s ingle t h i n g was the e m p l o y m e n t of p o l i t i c a l power, b a c k e d of He was the first to employ it. L ie, t oo, was a candidate for the presidency i n 1840. H e w as h e w n f r o m the m o u n t a i n s , rejected of p o l i t i c i a n s , t o b e c o m e     B u t I a m not to a n t i c i p a t e . H e was p l a c e d i n the field l a r g e l y b y the clear - seeing M y r o n H o l l e y , . . . a n d r e c e i v e d b u t 7 ,059 v otes, p r o v o k i n g gibes a n d sneers f r o m the W h i g s , d e r i s i o n a n d sarcasm f r o m G a r r i s o n . ney ( " L i f e of W a d e , " p age 1 58). T h e y were allies against B i r -

T he " L ife of W illiam L loyd Garrison " by his sons i s i n f our large octavo volumes, the last two having been p ublished i n October last. They are the product of the l abor of years, and, i n the numerous notes a nd painfully m inute references to authorities, most of them to the " Liberator," i ndicate that they were intended for students of history i n public libraries rather than for the general reader. They may be regarded as i n the nature of a legal b rief, filed for posterity, i n behalf of W illiam L loyd Gar-

  
X

PREFACE.

r ison, against the American people, the South, the West, the U nion, the C hurch, the clergy, the press, Benjamin L undy, James G. B irney, and all other p olitical a bolitionists. A s the sons of M r . Garrison have unecjualed facilities for " s ifting " t heir theories and filial claims into the public m ind, being l iterary men by profession and connected as editors, contributors, readers, and managers, w ith p ublishing houses, magazines, and metropolitan newspapers, s urviving p olitical a bolitionists can not afford to let their brief go without answer or protest. I n the present volume, written i n moments taken from the cares of an exacting profession, the writer has sought to correct their mistakes a nd errors, and to substitute a true for a false theory of the anti-slavery and slavery movements. Upon the issues made he invokes the i mpartial j udgment of the men who write American history. If he s hall not have the good f ortune to win their attention and verdict, he trusts that the general reader w ill rise from the perusal of t his book w ith clearer views of the strong currents of p olitical o pinion that preceded the Great Bebellion, and w ith increased respect and admiration for the men who dared for the liberties of this people to begin the battle w ith the Slave - Power, but who died before the victory was won.
S peak, H i s t o r y , w h o are L i f e ' s victors ? and say    A r e t hey those w h o m the w o r l d c a l l e d the v i c t o r s     w h o w o n the s uccess o f a day ? T h e martyrs or N e r o ? t ryst, O r t he Persians a n d X e r x e s ? Christ ? W A S H I N G T O N , D . C , December 15, 1SS0. n i s j u d g e s o r Socrates ? P i l a t e or T h e Spartans w h o f e l l a t Thermopylae's U n r o l l t h y l o n g annals

  
CONTENTS.

PREFACE C HAPTER

.

.

.   

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Y PAGE 1 3

I .     T H E A NCESTORS I I .     T H E FATHER III.   INFANCY AND Youm, 1792-1808

9 10 25 . .29 .31 36 44 55 63 . . . . . .74 .87

IV".   ANTI-SLAVERY V   LIFE

INFLUENCES IN Y O U T H 1808-1810

AT PRINCETON,

V I .     B E T W E E N COLLEGE AND THE B A R , 1 8 1 0 - 1 S 1 1 . V I I .     H i s LIFE IN KENTCCKY, 1814-1818 VIII.   LAWYER   PLANTER   POLITICIAN, . .

IN A L A B A M A , 1 S 1 8 - 1 8 2 3 . . .

I X .     L I F E AT H U N T S V I L L E , A L A B A M A , 1 8 2 3 - 1 8 2 6 X .     L I F E AT H D N T S V I L L E , 1 8 2 6 - 1 8 2 7 X I .     T H E P O L I T I C A L C A M P A I G N OF 1 8 2 8 XII.   ABOLITION I N T H E S OUTH BEFORE 1 8 2 8

X I I I .     L O N G V I S I T TO T n E F R E E STATES, X I V .    ABANDONS PARTY

1830 .

POLITICS   INTENDED

R E M O V A L TO I L L I . . SOCIETY, Ill .96

N O I S     V I S I T OF T . D . W E L D , 1 8 3 0 - 1 8 3 2

X V .     E X P E R I E N C E A S A N A G E N T O F T H E C OLONIZATION 1832-1833

X V I .     F R O M COLONIZATION, T H R O C G H G R A D U A L E M A N C I P A T I O N , TO IMMEDIATE ABOLITION, 1833-1384 . . . . . 131 .143 160

X V I I .     ANTI-SLAVERY W O R K IN KENTUCKY, 1834-1835 XVIII.   A W I D E R S r n E R E OF A C T I O N , 1 8 3 5

X I X .     H E I S O STRACIZED I N K E N T U C K Y A N D G OES TO O H I O , 1 8 3 5 . 1 8 0 X X .     T H E G E N E S I S OF T n E R E P U B L I C A N P A R T Y , 1 8 3 5 - 1 8 3 6 X X I .     T H E C I N C I N N A T I M O B OF J A N U A R Y , 1 S 3 6 . . . . 18S . 204

  
x ii
C IIAFTER

CONTENTS. PAGE* 220 JULY, 1836     P R O - S L A V E R Y 240 1836-1837 256 269 . . . .281 . 295 314 . . 332 357 . . . . . . . . . 373 . 3S2 . 389 . 407 . 423 . 430 -435 437

X X I I .     T H E EDITOR, 1 8 3 6 , 1 8 3 7 XXIII.    THE M O B AT C I N C I N N A T I ,

M OBS X X I V .     L I F E I N C INCINNATI, XXV.   THE XXVI.   THE

NO-GOVERNMENT V A G A R Y P H I L O S O P H Y O F B OSTON V A G A R I E S .

X X V I I .     T H E SCHISM O F T H E G ARRISONIANS, XXVIII.   "THE XXIX.   THE SMALL EXTREME W I N G "

1837-1840

LIBERTY   FREE SOIL   REPUBLICAN PARTY OF C H A R A C T E R YEARS AN INVALID   CONCLUSION BOOKS BEFORE 1 8 3 1

XXX.   TRAITS XXXI.   TWELVE

A P P E X D I X A.   ANTI-SLAVERY " " " " " INDEX

B .     S K E T C H OF B E N J A M I N L U N D Y ' S L I F E C .     N A T I O N A L A N T I - S L A V E R Y SOCIETIES

D .     J A M E S G . B I R N E Y ' S L E T T E R TO W . L . S TONE . E .     I M M E D I A T E AEOLITIONISTS I N O H I O B EFORE 1 8 3 0 F .     W R I T I N G S OF J A M E S G . B I R N E Y . . . .

  
J A M E S G. B I R N E Y A N D H I S T I M E S .
CHAPTER
THE

I.

ANCESTORS.

T n E subject of this sketch was of pure Protestant S cotch-Irish descent. H i s ancestors o n both sides belonged to that distinct type of mankind created by two centuries of c ivil wars and exclusive intermarriages out of the native Irishmen who had followed Henry V I I I into the Church of England and the Scotch colonists of James I , w ith some i ntermixture of Englishmen and Huguenot exiles. It was confined to the nine counties i n the northeastern part of Ireland which are known as the province of Ulster; and, by its intelligence, t hrift, i ndustry, and i n ventive talent, has made t hat province one of the great m anufacturing centers of the world. It has furnished to the United States many of the strong men who have helped to shape r epublican institutions. Among these may be named Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun, the Shelbys, the Logans, the McDowells, A . T. Stewart, and H orace Greeley   all distinguished for ability, energy, m oral courage, a nd tenacity of purpose. W i t h the aid of 0 'Hart's elaborate work, on I rish pedigrees, t he author m ight trace the genealogy of James Gillespie Birney to a remote p eriod, finding some h istorical characters among h is p rogenitors; but the facts, even if established, possess no anthropological value. Although it is true that each m an is the result of converging hereditary forces, these
2

  
JAMES

G. B I R N E Y

A N D HIS TIMES.

are too numerous for examination, the ancestors w ithin t en generations exceeding two thousand. It w ill be enough for the purposes of this book to give a few authentic data respecting the grandparents and parents. T he paternal grandfather owned the old family h omestead near Cootehill, County Cavan. H e was a prosperous farmer and m iller, a c hurch vestryman, a magistrate, a nd i nfluential i n local affairs. H i s wife was a member of the Church of E ngland, a nd a woman of strongly marked character. There were several children. T he maternal grandfather was John Read, a native of L ondonderry. Inheriting wealth and high social position, he had been l iberally educated, and had traveled i n foreign countries. H i s t all a nd graceful person, handsome features, ruddy complexion, blond h air, c ulture, and courtly manners made him a remarkable i ndividual. F or his grandson James he always had a strong affection, and, f or several years, he made the boy his companion and p upil. H is migration to the United States was a consequence of the discovery of some p olitical intrigue of his against the B ritish G overnment. He was i n Kentucky as early as 1779. In that year he built a fort, about two miles f rom Danville, and a mansion which remains to this day. H e m arried Lettice Wilcox. Their youngest son, Thomas B . R ead, was, in 1826, United States Senator from M ississipi. T heir daughters were carefully educated ; they were a ll w ell married, and among their descendants are found m any of the distinguished men of Kentucky, including J udge John Green, Judge Thomas Green, Rev. Lewis W . G reen, D . D., Dr. W illis G . C raig, D r. Edwards, of St. L ouis, and General Humphrey M arshall. M r. Read was r emarkable for conversational talent, and some of the most able men of Kentucky were often his guests. It was i n his p arlors t hat his grandson received much of the k ind of e ducation given to youth by the conversation of the wise.

  
C H A P T E R II.
THE FATHER.

J A M E S G I L L E S P I E B I R N E Y was an only son.

When

he was three years o ld his m other died, leaving h im and an i nfant sister to the care of the f ather. T he s urviving parent d id all a s trong and rugged man could do to s upply the place of m aternal tenderness. T he b right a nd s turdy boy awakened a s trong paternal pride ; a nd before he h ad learned h is letters the f ather h ad m arked out for h im a course of t raining a nd studies with a w ell-formed i ntention to make of h im a lawyer and statesman; and this course, with unimportant modifications, was afterwards persistently adhered to. T his singular devotion was an i m portant factor i n the f ormation of the character of the son, a nd justifies an account of the f ather which i n most biographies would be too m inute. I n September, 1783, a n adventurous I rish l ad of s ixteen, whose i magination was aglow with the glories of the y oung American republic, left secretly his father's comfortable home i n the C ounty Cavan, a nd e mbarked at D ublin f or P hiladelphia. H e had l ittle baggage a nd less money, b ut he was broad-shouldered a nd a ctive, with a m anly b earing a nd p leasing address. O n the day of his a rrival i n P hiladelphia, with no r ecommendation except i ntelligence a nd a c lerkly handwriting, he obtained e mployment i n a wholesale and r etail dry-goods' house. There he remained u ntil he was twenty-one years of age, working his way up u ntil he was the l eading employe of the firm.

  
4

JAMES

G. B I R N E Y

A N D HIS TIMES.

C hoosing the frontier settlement of Kentucky as his future home, he obtained a stock of goods i n P hiladelphia o n c redit, a nd, i n the autumn of 1788, opened a store at D anville, w hich was then the leading town i n Kentucky trade, p olitics, religion, and social l ife. E ach year thereafter, u ntil the Pennsylvania C anal was ready for use and steamboat navigation on the Ohio had facilitated the t ransportation of merchandise from the East to K e n tucky, the young merchant traversed the great wilderness w ith a n armed party, camping out at night and sleeping on his r ifle, purchased his stock i n P hiladelphia, a nd conveyed it to D anville, u sing for part of the route covered wagons drawn by Conestoga horses, but for the roadless m ountains a nd forests pack-horses and mules. The d ifficulties and dangers of this mode of transportation at that time r equired courage and energy on the part of the frontier merchant. A s he prospered he established a branch store at Stanford and a bagging factory, w ith ropewalk, at D anville. H e organized and became president of the l ocal b ank, and conducted it successfully for a great many years, t urning i t over to his successor in t hrifty and sound c ondition. D uring the War of 1812 he was a contractor on a large scale for furnishing supplies to the Western a rmy. A l l his business engagements were promptly met. A note w ith h is name on it was never protested. H i s business enterprises were uniformly successful. For many years he was reputed to be the richest man i n Kentucky, a nd one of the most cordial i n his hospitality. H i s estate of Woodlawn, the front gate of which was but a short h alf-mile f rom D anville, was as beautiful as blue-grass slopes, noble forest trees, and good taste i n landscape could make it. The view from the house was through the glades and avenues of a noble park. I n the march of improvement railroads have so intersected this property, a nd houses have been so b uilt u pon it, that the o riginal

  
THE

FATHER.

5

l andmarks have disappeared. H i s winter residence was a large brick mansion i n Danville. I n b is day, James Birney was one of the noted men of K entucky. F r o m one end of the State to the other his name was familiar i n every household. H i s sayings were quoted where he was not personally known. H i s character was strongly marked. A n y old citizen of that State w ill remember him as a very positive man. H e had no q uality of a trimmer. One knew always where to find h im. N o one ever doubted that he would be true to his f riends, or imagined that he would give back a hair'sbreadth before h is enemies. His courage, both moral and p hysical, h ad been proved i n the numerous emergencies of frontier l ife. H e was f ull of generous impulses ; easily e xcited by meanness or disingenuousness; strong i n his personal attachments ; quick i n his resentments ; and f rank, b old, and vehement i n asserting a right or declaring an opinion. He took great interest i n studying theories of government and the causes of the rise and f all of nations. T he " Federalist" was his favorite book, a nd next to it, Gibbon's " Rome." I n politics he was a Conservative, w ith F ederalist tendencies. Washington was his beau ideal of a patriot and statesman, and Chief Justice M arshall of a judge. H e dissected Jefferson and his opinions w ith a rough-edged scalpel. H e believed cordially i n a protective tariff, and cherished the warmest friendship, p olitical a nd personal, for its advocate, " H arry C lay," r eceiving h im as an honored guest on his frequent visits to Danville, and reading all his speeches, or, worse s till (horresco referens), m aking the writer of this sketch read t hem to him. He admired Calhoun for his intellect, but detested his theories. F o r General Jackson he cherished a n a ntipathy that amounted to rancor, and the feeling prepossessed him against the general's personal and political f riends.

  
6

JAMES

G. B I R N E Y

A N D HIS TIMES.

I nto the shaping and direction of local affairs, including p olitics, he threw himself w ith ardor, firmly refusing, however, to seek or hold office. He was the mainstay of the C lay p arty in Mercer County up to about 1828, when h is active business life was suddenly interrupted. The r ustling of a dry corn-blade i n a puff of wind caused a s pirited horse to spring from him as he was mounting; the f all f ractured his thigh-bone, and condemned him to h is bed for a year and to crutches for l ife. I n r eligion he was a zealous rather than orthodox E piscopalian. T he support of that Church was w ith h im a matter of traditional family honor, and when his son j oined the Presbyterians his pride was deeply wounded. T his always remained a tender spot w ith h im. To his efforts and liberality were chiefly due the erection of the D anville E piscopal Church building, about 1828, and the maintenance of a regular m inistry. E very Sunday morning he occupied his large front pew at the left of the chancel and joined in the responses; and, generally, he had the m inister home w ith h im to a good d inner w ith f riends. A l l t his did not prevent his discussing Church history w ith s triking disrespect for priestly rule and handling some of the Old Testament worthies without gloves. H e was the first man the writer ever heard descant upon certain weaknesses i n the characters of David and Solomon. I t was a pleasure to him to engage t heological students or m inisters i n controversy upon points of ecclesiastical h istory or doctrinal differences, and puzzle them w ith h is i rony, r aillery, and thorough acquaintance w ith t he authorities. H is reading had been extensive   chiefly i n politics, b iography, history, and travels   and he used his knowledge w ith shrewd common sense, expressing himself w ith s pirit, force, and often w ith w it. H e knew l ittle L atin a nd no Greek, but his conversation was bright enough to interest men of l earning. S tudents, tutors, and

  
THE

FATHER.

7

professors from Center College were his frequent visitors, a nd few intelligent travelers passed through D anville w ithout c alling on the i nvalid. H e received all w ith a b ountiful h ospitality that characterized Kentucky i n the first h alf of the century. Though his sarcasm and frankness made him a terror to hypocrites and time-servers, he was respectful to the sincere and c ivil to strangers. To women he was gentle as summer, and to children, tender and i n dulgent. To his poor neighbors he was k i n d ; of poor tenants he exacted no rent; and though one or two s tudents Avere always members of his family, they were such o n the footing of friends only. H e invited those he l iked a nd a dmired. I n money matters he was l iberal, r efusing, however, to indorse notes f or any except a few intimate f riends. W oodlawn was the home of twenty-odd slaves. These were never punished or sold, being regarded as held for their protection as w ell as his convenience. A l l the h arsh features of slavery were toned down. The overseer was obliged to manage without the whip, and got along peacefully w ith the slaves if not profitably for the owner. M ost of the negroes h ad been born on the estate, and they l ooked upon their master w ith m ingled fear and affection. I t must be admitted, however, that they took the farming a nd r ope-spinning life easily; they were almost as lazy as the fifteen to twenty pure-bred mares and colts that roamed through the r ich pastures, costly pets of the owner. I t was the custom among the farmers i n the neighborhood of Danville to v isit t own every Saturday. That was t he great day for seeing each other on business, pleasure, or politics. E arly i n the morning of that day, during the years after his accident, when the weather permitted, James B irney was driven to town. H i s usual seat was i n the store belonging to D avid B ell, h is former clerk, his successor and life-long friend, and there he held a grand

  
8

J A M B S Gr. B I R N E Y A N D HIS T I M E S .

levee u ntil late i n the afternoon. It seemed to the writer, who was often his grandfather's attendant on such occasions, that hardly any tradesman, professional man, or f armer failed to pay his respects to the venerable cripple. H e h ad a k ind w ord or inquiry or jest for each one, and h is c hair was often surrounded by a group amused at his repartees, wit, and r ollicking h umor; i n all which, however, he maintained a certain personal dignity, never uttering a coarse w ord. The man who forgot h imself so far as to utter one i n his presence never escaped without an effective rebuke. A bout two years after James Birney opened his store at Danville he married M iss B ead, one of the daughters of the political exile mentioned i n the first chapter. T radition makes her beautiful and intellectual. Her parents d id not think the handsome and energetic young, merchant a suitable mate for her, and the young people were obliged to make a Gretna Green affair of the marriage. Her home was a happy one, but she died i n 1795, leaving a son and i nfant daughter, James Gillespie and A n n a M aria. _TJm l atter m arried John J . M arshall, w ell known i n Kentucky annals as a law reporter and judge. She was the mother of James Birney M arshall, who earned distinction as an editor, and of Humphrey M arshall, who was successively Representative i n Congress, M inister to C hina, a nd Confederate major-general. F o r many years she was a leader i n society at F rankfort, the State capital. Her reputation for conversational talent and general a bility is one of the social t raditions of Kentucky.

  
C H A P T E E III.
INFANCY AND YOUTH.

1792-1808.

JAMES

GILLESPIE

BIRNEY

was

b orn, F ebruary 4 ,

1 792, at D anville. A fter the death of his mother, he and h is sister were placed under the care of Mrs. Doyle, the oldest sister of his father. She was a widow and childless, a nd, at the request of her brother, came f rom Ireland to take charge of his two c hildren a nd preside over his household   duties for which an affectionate nature, sound sense, good e ducation, agreeable manners, and fervent p iety p eculiarly qualified her. She continued to perform t hem u ntil the children were grown and u ntil the second marriage of her brother. H i s house was her home u ntil her decease, about the year 1 834. H e r nephew could not have been dearer to her if he had been her own son; and he returned her affection. Whenever he was at Woodlawn, he passed much of his time w ith her. D uring h is residence i n Alabama he wrote to he