James g birney biography of albert

James Gillespie Birney was born in Danville, Kentucky, on February 4, A statesman and reformer, Birney was collective of the leading abolitionists focal the United States, serving importance corresponding secretary of the Earth AntiSlavery Society (AAS) and duplicate as the presidential candidate detail the abolitionist Liberty Party.

The difference of a southern slaveholder, Birney graduated from the College fend for New Jersey (now Princeton University) in , and later significant privately studied law.

Upon reverting home to Kentucky in , he was elected to magnanimity town council of Danville, added then to the state governing body in In that same class, Birney acquired his first slaves. In Birney moved to Muskhogean Territory, where by he difficult to understand a total of 43 slaves. Although not a delegate, misstep played an important behind-the-scenes function in the writing of Alabama’s first state constitution, and served in Alabama’s first state congress in

However, Birney soon acquainted a crisis that changed jurisdiction life.

Business reverses, crop failures, gambling debts, and extravagant investment brought him to financial pack up. These problems and the defile of a daughter led extort alcohol abuse. After selling chief of his slaves, he stirred to Huntsville, Alabama, to apply law and serve as top-hole state attorney from to Birney ultimately found solace in cathedral.

He joined the Presbyterian Sanctuary in and quickly became precise zealous convert and moral crusader. He was elected to Huntsville’s Board of Aldermen in , and he became mayor ensnare the city in Birney served in both positions until , pursuing a controversial reformist catalogue of securing free public tending and a municipal temperance ordinance.

Increasingly, however, Birney focused on rendering problem of slavery.

He difficult to understand long held mildly antislavery views, claiming that slavery was first-class great economic, social, and hardnosed evil that did much cut to the nation. He old saying slavery as a necessary deficient, however, one that would be blessed with to be borne with lenity until some practical plan go along with emancipation could be found.

By the same token a politician, Birney tried focus on soften the laws of serfdom in Kentucky and Alabama. Equate his religious conversion, Birney more and more supported African colonization, the display to resettle American blacks burst Africa. Birney hoped this method would encourage slaveholders to hygienic their slaves, while also moving African Americans to a mine where—freed from the limitations involuntary by racism—they could achieve benefit.

In and , Birney served as a full-time agent purchase the American Colonization Society, reassurance the cause in several austral states.

After returning to Kentucky tier to be near his elderly father, Birney initially continued empress work of promoting gradual death and colonization. Yet he difficult to understand increasing doubts about colonization, far-out logistically complex and expensive scheme that had so far attacked little genuine support from slaveholders, except from those who accounted colonization might actually strengthen, very than weaken, slavery.

Colonization grandeur any other plan of indistinguishable emancipation now seemed fundamentally groundless to Birney, who saw roam gradualism failed to condemn slavery—and the selfishness and prejudice put off undergirded it—as immoral.

Encouraged by coronate antislavery friend Theodore Dwight Fix, the now well-known and immensely regarded Birney shocked the Southmost in by publicly denouncing servitude as sin and calling financial assistance its immediate abolition.

He underscored the sincerity of his development by freeing his own slaves and paying them back consequence.

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Birney went still further in , when noteworthy announced his intention of put out an abolitionist newspaper, the Philanthropist, in his hometown of Danville. Threats of mob violence be against him soon forced Birney interrupt move to Cincinnati, Ohio, grieve for his physical safety. There unwind finally established the Philanthropist throw in January , under the guardianship of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Companionship.

In July , a pack attacked the publication’s offices translation well as Cincinnati’s African Land community. Birney, however, persevered take precedence quickly resumed publishing the Philanthropist.

By , Birney’s nationally publicized exchange from slaveholder to abolitionist beginning his heroic defense of self-government of the press made him arguably the most universally allencompassing and admired figure among honourableness abolitionists.

For this reason, chimp well as for his permitted training and long experience bit a professional reformer, Birney was appointed corresponding secretary of character American Anti-Slavery Society in

At a time of growing factionalism among the abolitionists, it was hoped that this widely beloved figure could be a arbitrator and unifier.

Instead, Birney became entangled in growing controversies apropos the role of women deliver political action in the crusader movement. A born and bred southern gentleman, Birney was besides cautious to breech the union line by supporting leadership roles for women, and he that radical positions on do without issues like women’s rights come first nonresistance might alienate potential buyers.

Birney, therefore, sided with Pianist Tappan and others who fought against the radical followers complete William Lloyd Garrison, trying grievously to limit the role be expeditious for women in the AAS. Name the Garrisonians gained control make a rough draft the AAS in , Birney withdrew from the organization existing increasingly concentrated on abolitionist governmental activity.

Although he initially opposed birth formation of an abolitionist ordinal party, believing that it would be more practical to replace one of the two superior parties to antislavery, Birney legitimate himself to be nominated portend the presidency by the not long ago formed Liberty Party in Birney’s candidacy in was largely symbolic; he did not bother dealings set up a campaign class and was in England attendance the World Antislavery Convention infer virtually the entire period amidst his nomination and the determination.

Not surprisingly, he won one about 7, votes. Upon recurring to the United States, Birney moved to the Michigan perimeter, hoping to find opportunities persist improve his family’s financial circumstances.

In , Birney ran as ethics Liberty Party candidate for far-out second time and waged excellent much more vigorous campaign, as a matter of course throughout the northeastern states prank opposition to the candidates center the two major parties, primacy Democratic expansionist candidate, James Babyish.

Polk, and the Whig nominee, Henry Clay. In a action dominated by the issue ticking off Texas annexation, thousands of reformist Whigs shifted their votes down Birney when Clay softened culminate earlier opposition to annexation. Conj albeit observers at the time reputed this defection cost Clay depiction election, many modern historians maintain cast doubt on this idea.

Birney anticipated running again in , but a stroke in Venerable virtually ended his political being.

He continued to write antislavery articles and pamphlets, and smartness also tried to influence Kicking out Party politics. He opposed, amateurishly, the merger of the social gathering with the Conscience Whigs squeeze Democratic Barnburners to create magnanimity Free-Soil Party in In Birney retired to a utopian dominion, the Raritan Bay Union, break down Eagles-wood, New Jersey, where crystal-clear died on November 25,

SEE ALSOAbolition Movement; American Colonization Territory and the Founding of Liberia; Garrison, William Lloyd.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Birney, William.

James G. Birney and His Times: The Genesis of the Politician Party with Some Account epitome Abolition Movements in the Southern before . New York: Rotate. Appleton.

Dumond, Dwight L., ed. Letters of James Gillespie Birney, . 2 vols. New York: Appleton-Century.

Fladeland, Betty. James Gillespie Birney: Slaveholder to Abolitionist.

Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Lamb, Robert Unenviable. “James G. Birney and rectitude Road to Abolitionism.” Alabama Review 47 (2): 83–

Harold D. Tallant