WILSON, Henry, American statesman: b. Farmington, N. H., 16 Feb. 1812; d. M'ashing ton. 22 Nov. 1875. His name was originally Jeremiah Jones Colbaith, legally changed to Henry Wilson on his reaching manhood. He nits a farm apprentice in his native town till the age of 21, when he moved to Natick and learned the shoemaker's trade. After two )ears' work at this business he had accumu lated a small sum of money, which enabled him to attend the academics at Stafford, Wolfs borough and Concord. But the loss of some of his money forced him to cut short his plan for an education, and he returned to his work at Natick in 1838, and finally built up a prosperous shoe In 1840 he took an active part in the presidential campaign in lie half of the Whig party. and in the same year was elected to the lower house of the Nlassachlisetts legislature; was re-elected to the State senate. At this time he Became known as an active opponent of .1; cry and in lt0; was selected with J. G Whittier (q.v.) to pre sent to Congress the anti-slavery petition from Massachusetts .c.ainst the annexation of Texas In 11a8 hr frr m the \\ big part% of its I allti-0.1\ t r•0111? and took a prominent part in organizing the Free Soil party, purchasing and editing the Boston Republican in the interests of that party. In 1850 and 1851 he was elected to the State senate, and was president of that body during both terms. In 1852 he was president of the Free Soil National Convention, and chairman of the national committee; and in 1853 was a member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention. In 1855 he was elected to the United States Senate, and shortly after taking his seat made a speech advocating the repeal of the fugitive slave law and the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia and in the Territories. For a time in 1855 he was asso ciated with the American party; but on its adoption of a pro-slavery platform he with drew from it and took an active share in or ganizing the Republican party on the basis of opposition to the extension of slavery. In 1856
he denounced the assault of Brooks on Sumner, and was challenged to a duel by Brooks; though he refused the challenge, he stated that he believed in his right to defend him self if attacked. During the years of 1856-60 he took part in all important debates in the Senate; and his speech in defense of free labor, in reply to Senator Hammond of South Carolina, was widely circulated in the Northern States. In January 1859 he was re-elected to the Senate by an almost unanimous vote of the Massachusetts legislature; and on the as sembling of the Senate in 1861, was made chairman of the committee on military affairs. a post which the Civil War rendered one of great labor and responsibility. In this capacity he introduced and carried through Congress, during the extra session of 1861, the acts to authorize the employment of 500,000 volun teers, to increase the regular army, and to reorganize the military system. In 1865 he was a third time elected to the Senate, and took a prominent part in all the reconstruction measures, favoring the granting of full civil and political rights to the negroes, but also desiring a liberal treatment of the Southern whites. In 1871 he was re-elected to the Sen ate hut resigned in the next year when elected to the vice-presidency of the United States on the Republican ticket. In 1873 he suffered a stroke of paralysis from which he never fully recovered. At the time of his death be was engaged in writing the last volume of his 'His tory of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America' (1873-75) which he left partially complete. He also wrote 'History of the An:i Slavery Measures of the 37th and 38th United States Congresses' (1865); 'Military Measures of the United States Congress' (1866); 'Testi monies of American Statesmen and Jurists to the Truths of Christianity' (1867) : 'History of the Reconstruction Measures of the 30th and 40th Congresses 1865-68' (1868). Con sult Russell and Nason, 'Life and Public Set, ices of I lenry Wilson' (1872); Stowe, 'Met, of Our Times' (18(i8).