BIRNEY, James Gillespie, American pol itician: b. Danville, Ky., 4 Feb. 1792; d. Perth Amboy, N. J., 25 Nov. 1857. He studied law, and removed early to Alabama, where he prospered in his profession and held the office of district attorney. Having had his attention turned toward the question of property in slaves, in 1833 he interested himself in the or ganization of a branch of the Colonization So ciety for the State of Alabama.. Soon after ward, returning to Kentucky, he organized one there also, of which he became president. But in 1834, his views rapidly advancing, he espoused the cause of immediate emancipation in a public letter, at the same time emancipating all his own slaves, about 20 in number. This letter, the 'Letter on Colonization' (1834), was shortly afterward followed by 'American Churches the Bulwarks of American Slavery' (1840); 'Speeches in England' (1840); and 'Examination of the Decision of the United States Supreme Court in the Case of Stroder et al. vs. Graham' (1850). Making arrange ments to establish a newspaper to disseminate these views at Danville, where he resided, and where he held the situation of professor in the university, he found it impossible to have such a paper printed in Kentucky, and removed to Cincinnati, where he began to issue the Philan thropist. It had not been long published before it was found no less obnoxious to public senti ment in Ohio than it had been in Kentucky, and the press was thrown into the river. The editor, however, managed to revive the paper, and, in connection with Dr. Bailey, made it a
powerful instrument in acting upon the opinion of the State. About the year 1836 he went to New York as secretary of the American Anti Slavery Society, and for many years devoted his time and strength to the furtherance of the objects of that Society by letters and ar ticles from the press and by public addresses wherever he could make an opportunity to be heard. His purpose was to build up a political party upon the single question of slavery, to act upon the government within the forms of the Constitution; and he succeeded in forming an organization in most of the Northern States, under the name of the Liberty Party. During his absence in England he was nominated in 1840 by that party for the presidency, but met with little success. He was again nominated in 1844, when he received more votes. It was charged upon his friends at the time that by withdrawing their votes from Mr. Clay, espe cially in the State of New York, they accom plished the election of Mr. Polk, thus aiming the death-blow at their own projects. Previous to this, in 1842, Mr. Birney had become a resi dent of Michigan, where not long afterward he was disabled, by a fall from his horse, from taking the active part in politics to which he bad been accustomed. The latter part of his life was spent at Perth Amboy, N. J. Consult the biography by his son, William Birney, 'James G. Birney and His Times' (New York 1890).