James Gillespie Birney (February 4, 1792 – November 25, 1857) was an abolitionist,
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
and
juristA jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
born in
Danville, KentuckyDanville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 15,477 at the 2000 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
. From 1816 to 1818, he served in the
Kentucky House of RepresentativesThe Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The House is composed of 100 representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
. In 1836, he started his abolitionist weekly publication in
Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. The municipality is located north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border. The population within city limits was estimated to be 333,336 in 2008, making it the state's third largest city...
titled
The PhilanthropistThe Philanthropist was an abolitionist newspaper printed in Cincinnati, Ohio starting in 1836, edited by James G. Birney and published by a printer named Achilles Pugh for the Ohio chapter of the Anti-Slavery Society....
.
Youth
Born to an affluent
IrishIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
Episcopalian slaveholder of the same name in
Danville, KentuckyDanville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 15,477 at the 2000 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, James G. Birney lost his mother during his youth. He and his sister were raised by their aunt, who had come over from
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at the request of his father to look after the two. By 1795, his father's two sisters and their families had migrated from Ireland, settling on farms near his home. Most of his mother's relatives had also migrated nearby, settling in other areas of
Mercer County, KentuckyMercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer.- History :Pleasant Hill is the site of a former Shaker community....
. Growing up, he saw the issue of slavery from a variety of perspectives. Though his father fought to prevent their state of Kentucky from joining the Union as a slave state, when the effort failed, he decided that until the legislature abolished slavery from the state as a whole, a person could own slaves as long as he treated them humanely. Other members of Birney’s family felt personal moral responsibility and refused to own slaves. Most notably, the aunt that raised him did not own slaves and paid them when they performed services for her. For his own part, Birney agreed with his father and received his first slave at age six. However, for much of his youth and education, he was under the influence of teachers and friends with strong anti-slavery views. For example, he attended several sermons given by a
BaptistA Baptist is a Christian who subscribes to a theology and may belong to a church that, among other things, is committed to believer's baptism and, with respect to church polity, favors the congregational model...
abolitionist by the name of David Barrow in his youth, which he later recalled with fondness.
Schooling
When Birney turned eleven he was sent to
Transylvania UniversityTransylvania University is a private liberal arts college related by covenant to the Christian Church . The college is located on a 35 acre campus about 4 blocks north of downtown Lexington, Kentucky, and is currently ranked number 77 on US News & World Report's Best Liberal Arts Colleges...
in
Lexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 65th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, returning home two years later to enter a school run by a Presbyterian man that had just opened in Dansville. He excelled in his studies there, which were mostly based in the sciences. In 1808, he entered the College of New Jersey at age seventeen, which was the name of
Princeton UniversityPrinceton University a private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is considered one of the Colonial Colleges....
at that time. He studied
political philosophyPolitical philosophy is the study of city, government, politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
,
logicLogic, from the Greek λογική is the art and science of reasoning. More specifically, it is defined by the Penguin Encyclopedia to be "The formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning". As a discipline, logic dates back to Aristotle, who established its...
and moral philosophy, and became known as a proficient debater. Among his classmates, he became particularly good friends with
George M. DallasGeorge Mifflin Dallas was a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and the 11th Vice President of the United States, serving under James K. Polk.-Family and early life:...
. He studied under the president of the school (
Samuel Stanhope SmithSamuel Stanhope Smith was a Presbyterian minister, founding president of Hampden-Sydney College and the seventh president of the College of New Jersey from 1795 to 1812....
), who was both a logician and author that held weak anti-slavery sentiments. He believed that slavery was morally wrong, but upheld the citizens' right of ownership. Birney graduated from Princeton on September 26, 1810.
When he returned to Danville following graduation, he worked for the campaign of
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. was a nineteenth-century American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829....
for one month. After this, he began to study
lawLaw is a system of rules, usually enforced through a set of institutions. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a primary social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus ticket to trading on derivatives markets...
at the office of
Alexander J. DallasAlexander James Dallas was an American statesman who served as the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President James Madison....
in Philadelphia, the father of his Princeton friend and classmate. He lived among well means, having a horse carriage for transportation and always being well-dressed. He also made friends with members of the local Quaker community. He remained in Philadelphia with Dallas for the next three years, until he passed the Philadelphia
bar examinationA bar examination is an examination to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-United States:Passing the bar exam is typically only one of several steps for being licensed to practice law...
and was admitted to the
bar associationA bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both.In many Commonwealth jurisdictions, the...
.
Law practice
In May 1814 Birney returned to his hometown and took up the practice of law there, becoming the acting
attorneyA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain stability, and deliver...
for the local
bankA bank is a financial institution licensed by a government. Its primary activities include borrowing and lending money.Many other financial activities were allowed over time. For example banks are important players in financial markets and offer financial services such as investment funds...
. He handled both civil and criminal lawsuits in Danville and other outlying counties of
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
. The economy of Kentucky was rather poor at this time, as the
War of 1812The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , lasted from 1812 to 1815. It was fought chiefly on the Atlantic Ocean and on the land, coasts and waterways of North America.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S...
had caused a schism in
tradeTrade is the voluntary exchange of goods, services, or both. Trade is also called commerce or transaction. A mechanism that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and services. Later one side of the barter were the metals, precious...
within the state. Having trouble making ends meet, Birney made his living at this time primarily as a
claims adjusterClaims adjusters investigate insurance claims by interviewing the claimant and witnesses, consulting police and hospital records, and inspecting property damage to determine the extent of the company’s liability. In the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, South Africa and New...
.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Birney became a freemason upon his return to Danville and a member of Danville's
town councilA town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, making him a "member" of the town's social elite. He also fell in love with Agatha McDowell and married her on February 1, 1816 at a Presbyterian church. Among the wedding gifts the young couple received were slaves from his father and
father-in-law-See also:* Affinity * Marriage* Mother-in-law...
. As Birney had yet to fully develop his abolitionist views, he accepted them kindly. It should be said that later in life Birney was known to say on many occasions that he does not recall ever believing that slavery was right.
Kentucky politics
In 1815, he again worked for the successful campaign of
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. was a nineteenth-century American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829....
, who was running for U.S. Congress. He also campaigned for
George MadisonGeorge Madison was the sixth Governor of Kentucky. He was the first governor of Kentucky to die in office, serving only a few weeks in 1816. Little is known of Madison's early life. He was a member of the influential Madison family of Virginia, and was a second cousin to President James Madison...
, who was running for Kentucky Governor and won (Madison died months later). His political sentiments at the time were with the Democratic-Republican Party. In 1816, Birney won a seat in the
Kentucky General AssemblyThe Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
representing
Mercer CountyMercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer.- History :Pleasant Hill is the site of a former Shaker community....
, becoming a member of the
Kentucky House of RepresentativesThe Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The House is composed of 100 representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
at age twenty-four. In 1817, the
Kentucky SenateThe Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
drafted a resolution that proposed opening a dialogue between the newly installed governor of Kentucky,
Gabriel SlaughterGabriel Slaughter was the seventh Governor of Kentucky and was the first person to ascend to that office upon the death of the sitting governor. His family moved to Kentucky from Virginia when he was very young. He became a member of the Kentucky militia, serving throughout his political career...
, and the governors of
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
and
IndianaIndiana is a U.S. state, the 19
th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16
th in population and 17
th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38
th in land area, and is the...
for the purpose of passing laws in those states calling for the capture and return of runaway slaves from Kentucky.
Birney staunchly opposed this resolution and it was defeated, though a new resolution was soon after drafted and passed, despite Birney's opposition yet again. As he saw very little future for himself in Kentucky politics, Birney decided to move to
AlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its...
with the hope of starting a political career.
Alabama
In February 1818, he moved his family to
Madison County, AlabamaMadison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the first to visit the state of Alabama. According to the Census'...
, where he purchased a cotton plantation and slaves, most of whom came with him from Kentucky. In 1819, Birney became a member of the
Alabama House of RepresentativesThe Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal amount of districts, with each constituency containing at least 42,380 citizens. There are no term...
representing Madison County. While there, he helped draft an act that would afford slaves tried by jury paid legal counsel, barring the master and prosecutorial witness or their relatives from being members of the
juryA jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment...
. This, along with his opposition to the nomination of
Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . He was military governor of Florida , commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans , and eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy...
for U.S. President, hampered many of his future political ambitions in Alabama. He opposed Jackson primarily on the grounds that he was foul-tempered, having personally executed two men previously.
In 1823, after experiencing many troubles with his cotton plantation, Birney moved to
Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville is a city, centrally located in the northern most part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located in Madison county and extends west into neighboring Limestone county. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison county, and the fourth largest city in Alabama. The 2000 census estimated...
to practice law again. His financial troubles were due in part to his habit of horse race
gamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period....
, which he gave up eventually after many losses. Most of his slaves stayed on at the plantation, though he did bring with him to Huntsville his servant Michael, as well as Michael's wife and three children.
At this time there were a number of other practicing lawyers in that area, including one
John McKinleyJohn McKinley was a U.S. Senator from the state of Alabama and an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court.Born in Culpeper County, Virginia, his family moved to Kentucky when he was an infant...
. His name preceded him, and he was admitted to the Alabama
bar associationA bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both.In many Commonwealth jurisdictions, the...
. McKinley, along with several other prominent members of society, successfully campaigned for Birney to become the
solicitor generalThe term Solicitor General or Solicitor-General may refer to:* Solicitor-General of Australia, the second law officer of state and public servant representing the Attorney-General in court proceedings** Solicitor-General of Victoria...
of
AlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its...
in 1823. By the end of the year he decided to close his plantation, and sold the slaves at the plantation to a friend of his that was known for his good temperament and kind treatment of slaves. Following the sale of the plantation and slaves, he achieved financial stability, bought a generous plot of land and constructed a large brick house in Huntsville. As was true upon his first return to Danville years back, he once again became a member of the social elite in this new town. In addition to his duties as a public prosecutor, his private law office proved quite lucrative.
By 1825, he was the wealthiest lawyer in northern Alabama, partnering up with Arthur F. Hopkins. The next year, he resigned as solicitor general to pursue his own career with more tenacity. Over the next several years, he worked, often defending blacks, was appointed a trustee of a private school and joined the Presbyterian Church. In 1828, he became an
electorElector may refer to:* Prince-elector or elector, a member of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Holy Roman Emperors...
on the
John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States from March 4, 1825 to March 4, 1829. He was also an American diplomat and served in both the Senate and House of Representatives...
and
Richard RushRichard Rush was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the second son of Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and Julia Rush. He entered the College of New Jersey at the age of 14, and graduated in 1797 as the youngest member of his class...
ticket. He strongly supported Adams for his
conservatismConservatism is the diverse political and social philosophy that supports tradition and the status quo, or that calls for a return to the values and society of an earlier age, the status quo ante. However, the term has been used by politicians and political commentators with a variety of meanings...
, viewing the politics of
Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . He was military governor of Florida , commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans , and eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy...
and
John C. CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was the 7th Vice President of the United States and a leading Southern politician from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun was an advocate of slavery, states' rights, limited government, and nullification...
as a threat to the
UnionDuring the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three states which were not part of the secession attempt by the 11 states that tried to form the Confederacy...
. To Birney's great disappointment, Jackson won. However, he found other ways to champion his beliefs. In 1829, his fellow citizens elected him mayor of Huntsville, Alabama, allowing him to act on his new found faith and work for reforms in public education and temperance.
American Colonization Society
Birney’s religious fervor also encouraged him to reevaluate his views on slavery. Increasingly alienated by the politics of the Jackson administration, he discovered the
American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
in 1826. In 1829, he was introduced to Josiah Polk of the ACS by
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. was a nineteenth-century American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829....
and became an early supporter of the society. He was intrigued by the possibility of solving the problem of free blacks by starting a colony for them in Liberia, Africa. In January 1830 he helped begin a chapter in
Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville is a city, centrally located in the northern most part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located in Madison county and extends west into neighboring Limestone county. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison county, and the fourth largest city in Alabama. The 2000 census estimated...
and subscribed to its literature.
He was then sent on a trip to the
East CoastThe East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard", refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada...
for the
University of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1831, UA is the flagship university of the University of Alabama System. Within Alabama, it is often called "the Capstone"...
in search of professors for the college, following the receipt of a generous
endowmentA financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution, usually with the stipulation that it be invested, and the principal remain intact in perpetuity or for a defined time period...
for the school. From August through October 1830 he visited Philadelphia,
New BrunswickNew Brunswick is a city and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is 31 miles southwest of New York City on the southern bank of the Raritan River about 15 miles from its mouth. The 2006 United States Census Bureau population estimate of New Brunswick was 50,172...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, New Haven,
BostonBoston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England"...
,
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
and
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
. He returned home with numerous recommendations, and was thanked for his services. While in these areas, with the exception of Kentucky, he was greatly encouraged by the presence of free states in the Union. This same year, he had some sort of falling out with
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. was a nineteenth-century American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829....
and also ceased further campaigning for the Democratic-Republican Party.
In 1831, Birney began considering moving to
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
, as he was troubled with the idea of his children growing up in a
slave stateIn the United States of America prior to the American Civil War, a slave state was a U.S. state in which slavery of African Americans was legal, whereas a free state was one in which slavery was either prohibited or eliminated over time...
. He mentioned a move to Illinois frequently, stating he would free his remaining slave Michael, Michael's wife and three children there. However, this never came to pass. In 1832, the American Colonization Society offered him a position as an agent who traveled around the south promoting their cause and he accepted. He met with some success, including organizing the departure of settlers to Liberia and writing essays in defense of colonization. However, in failing to convert his audience to colonization, he began to doubt its effectiveness and the acceptability of slavery. In 1832, he had decided to return to
Danville, KentuckyDanville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 15,477 at the 2000 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
.
Danville
A year before returning to Danville, Birney wrote letters to slaveholders in
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
who had previously expressed their support for
emancipationEmancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a 1996 music album by Prince...
, suggesting they soon hold a convention on the matter. On December 6, 1832 the gathering was held, with only nine slave owners in attendance. Most of these pledged not to emancipate their current slaves, but to emancipate their slave's offspring at age twenty-one. This small group also aimed to bring in non-slaveholders to promote this idea of "gradual" emancipation.
Abolitionist
In 1833, he read a paper signed by several Christian organizations that repudiated the tenets of the
American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
and, instead, called for the immediate abolition of slavery. This, along with life experience and education, brought Birney to the realization that slavery must be abolished once and for all. Inspired by the Lane Seminary debates, he freed his remaining slaves and declared himself an abolitionist in 1834.
Cincinnati
In August 1835, Birney visited Cincinnati to make contacts with friends and fellow members of the abolitionist movement there. He worked to gain support in publishing an anti-slavery newspaper. At this time, there were four newspapers in the city, and all but the
Cincinnati Daily Gazette released "critically-roundabout" editorials the next day that assailed the faults of abolitionism in general. One paper,
The Daily Post (not to be confused with the Cincinnati Post), even called for
lynchingLynching is an extrajudicial punishment meted by a mob, usually by hanging. It is an enumerated felony in all states of the United States, defined by some codes of law as "Any act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person which results in the death of the person," with a 'mob'...
those who set out to author anti-slavery literature in their city.
The Gazette, which was owned by editor Charles Hammond, came to be an
allyAlly is a common unisex given name. It is a variant of Allie.-People:*Ally Carter, American author of young adult and adult fiction*Ally Fowler , Australian actress in 1980s soap operas...
of sorts to Birney and his paper. While Hammond himself did not support equal rights for
negrosNegros is an island of the Philippines located in the Visayas, at . It is the third-largest island in the country, with a land area of 13,328 km²...
, he did support the idea of a
free pressFreedom of the press consists ofconstitutional or statutory protections pertaining to the media and published materials.With respect to governmental information, any government distinguishes which materials are public or protected from disclosure to the public based on classification of information...
and
freedom of speechFreedom of speech is the freedom to speak without censorship or limitation. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
. He also strongly resented the attempts of the South to legalize slaveholding in the North.
In October 1835, Birney and his family moved to
Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. The municipality is located north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border. The population within city limits was estimated to be 333,336 in 2008, making it the state's third largest city...
to prepare for the publication of his abolitionist paper
The PhilanthropistThe Philanthropist was an abolitionist newspaper printed in Cincinnati, Ohio starting in 1836, edited by James G. Birney and published by a printer named Achilles Pugh for the Ohio chapter of the Anti-Slavery Society....
, to be published weekly. From his arrival, he and the paper were the subject of controversy, with the majority of local newspapers and others doing everything they could to make him feel unwelcome. The Louisville Journal wrote a scathing editorial that all but directly threatened his paper. However, writing for his newspaper helped him develop ideas for fighting slavery legislatively. He used them as he worked with
Salmon P. ChaseSalmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist in the Civil War era who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and Governor of Ohio; as U.S...
to protect slaves who escaped to Ohio. In 1837, the
American Anti-Slavery SocietyThe American Anti-Slavery Society was an abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan. Frederick Douglass was a key leader of the society and often spoke at its meetings. William Wells Brown was another freed slave who often spoke at meetings. By 1838, the society had...
recruited him as an officer and corresponding secretary and he moved his family to New York.
Liberty Party
With the American Anti-Slavery Society’s schism in 1840, he resigned his position as he opposed equal rights for women. Also in that year, the
Liberty PartyLiberty Party may refer to:* Liberty Party * Liberty Party , United States* Liberty Party * Liberty of United Kingdom * Liberty Party , United States* Liberty & Democracy Party...
, a newly formed political party whose only aim was abolition, nominated Birney for
presidentThe United States presidential election of 1840 saw President Martin Van Buren fight for re-election against an economic depression and a Whig Party unified for the first time behind war hero William Henry Harrison...
. Accurately predicting he would not win, he instead went as a delegate to the
World Anti-Slavery ConventionAnti-Slavery International is a International nongovernmental organization, charity and a lobby group, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1839, it is the world's oldest international human rights organisation, and the only charity in the United Kingdom to work exclusively against slavery and...
in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. The convention named him a vice-president and spread his writings throughout England. When he came back, the Liberty Party made use of his legal expertise in their efforts to defend blacks and fugitive slaves. They chose him as their candidate again in the
1844 presidential electionThe United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposed....
.
Michigan
In 1841, Birney moved to
Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. Once two independent cities, the consolidated City of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
with his new wife and family. He lived at the Webster House in Saginaw for a few months until his home in Bay City, Michigan was ready. Birney was in the land development business in Bay City. He was a trustee of the reorganized Saginaw Bay Company and was deeply involved in the planning of Bay City, Michigan, where Birney Park is named after him. Birney and the other developers supported churches in their community where they set aside money for church construction. In addition to running for the Presidency in 1840 and 1844, Birney received 3023 votes for governor of the State of Michigan in 1845. Birney remained in Michigan until 1855, when his health drove him to move to the East Coast.
While in Bay City, Birney led a life of farming and agricultural pursuits in addition to his legal work, land development and national anti-slavery involvement. He commented on the lack of help available in the city and was found working on his own fence.
His son, James Birney, came to Bay City then called Lower Saginaw to take care of his father's business interests in the city. James remained in Bay City and followed his father's tradition of public service. He is buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery on the East side of town.
Paralysis
In August 1845, Birney suffered from bouts of
paralysisParalysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Paralysis can cause loss of feeling or loss of mobility in the affected area.-Causes:Paralysis is most often caused by damage to the nervous system, especially the spinal cord...
following a horseback riding accident, which recurred intermittently for the remainder of his life. His speech became affected as his condition worsened, until he was eventually left to communication through gestures and writing (the latter made difficult by severe tremors). He ended his public career and his direct involvement in the abolitionist movement as a result, though he kept himself informed of new developments. He died in New Jersey in 1857 in a communal settlement surrounded by abolitionist friends, but convinced that war would be necessary to end slavery. He was buried at the
Williamsburg CemeteryWilliamsburg Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at Hampton Corners in Livingston County, New York. It was established in 1792 and is one of the earliest European American settlement period cemeteries in Western New York and is the last surviving above ground remnant of the now vanished village...
in
Groveland, New YorkGroveland is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 3,853 at the 2000 census.The Town of Groveland is centrally located in the county, south of Geneseo.- History :...
, the home of his wife's family. In 1840, he had married Elizabeth Potts Fitzhugh (sister of
Henry FitzhughHenry Fitzhugh was an American merchant, businessman and politician from New York.-Life:...
and of Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, wife of
Gerrit SmithGerrit Smith was a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist...
).