HILDRETH, Richard, American historian: b. Deerfield, Mass., 22 June 1807; d. Florence, Italy, 11 July 1865. He was graduated at Har vard in 1826, studied law at Newburyport, en tered practice in Boston and abandoned it in 1832 to become editor of the Boston Atlas. In this position a series of articles by him in 1837, relative to the separation of Texas from Mexico, did much to stimulate the resistance which that movement encountered in the free States. In 1834 his anti-slavery novel, 'The Slave,' was written. This work was repub lished and favorably received in England and in 1852 an enlarged American edition appeared under the title of 'The White Slave: Memoir of Archy Moore' (1837). In 1837-38 he was Washington correspondent of the Boston Atlas and resumed his editorial post as an advocate of the election of General Harrison, of whom he wrote a campaign biography. He then abandoned journalism, and in 1840 published, under the title of 'Despotism in America,' a volume on the political, economical and social aspects of slavery, to which in the edition of 1854 was appended a chapter on the 'Legal Basis of Slavery.' In 1840-43 he resided in
Demerara, British Guiana, and at Georgetown edited two free labor newspapers. Later, for several years, he was a member of the New York Tribune staff and in 1861 was appointed United States consul at Triest. His best-known work is his 'History of the United States' (1849-56), which extends from 1492 to the end of President Monroe's first term. The author sought an authentic presentation of the con spicuous figures of earlier American history. His work is accurate and careful, though with a Federalistic viewpoint; but so uninteresting in manner as to be ill-adapted for continuous reading. Hildreth also wrote 'Theory of Morals' (1844) ; 'Theory of Politics' (1853) ; 'Japan as it Was and Is' (1855) ; and 'Atro cious Judges' (1856).