KING, William Rufus, American states man, 13th Vice-President of the United States: b. Sampson County, N. C., 6 April 1786; d. in Dallas County, Ala., 17 April 1853. He entered the University of North Carolina at 12 and was graduated in '1933. He then commenced the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1806. In 1806 he was clected to the legis lature from his native county, and again in 1809. In 1810 he was elected to Congress and was twice re-elected. In Congress he united himself with Clay, Calhoun and others who advocated the war policy of Mr. Madison's administration, and voted for the declaration of war in .June 1812. In the spring of 1816 he resigned his seat to become secretary of lega tion to Naples under William Pinckney. The latter was afterward transferred to Saint Petersburg, and was accompanied to that court also by King as secretary. Having removed to Alabama, he was elected in 1819 one of the United States senators from the new State, and was successively re-elected in 1823, 1828, 1834 and 1840. In April 1844 he was appointed
Minister to France. The proposition for the annexation of Texas was then pending. Eng land was known to be decidedly opposed to the scheme and there was a general belief that her government was urging France to join in a protest against it. King was an active advocate of the annexation, and upon reaching Paris directed his efforts to prevent this joint pro test, in which he was successful. He returned to the United States in November 1846. In 1848 Senator Arthur P. Bagby was sent as Minister to Russia, and King was appointed to fill the vacancy thus created. In 1849 the term for which he was appointed having expired, he was elected for a full term of six years. In 1850, on the accession of Vice-President Fill more to the Presidency, King was unanimously elected president of the Senate. In 1852 he was elected Vice-President of the United States, at the time Franklin Pierce was elected President.