Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-31
Death of Joshua Reed Giddipgs.


Hos JOSHUA r, GIDDMGs, American Consul
General at Montreal, dropped dead at bis resi-.
deuee IN that city at ten clock last Friday
evening, in the 69.h year Of his age.
T Tribune hie The follow ng totl1 # tho
life Of this great worker III the Aou slavery
cause
He was born at Athens, Bradford Co Pa,
Oct =, 1875 When he was ten years old his
parents became settlers Of Ashtabula Co.. Ohio,
IN the Western Reserve, since famous by It's de-
yotedly Anti.Sayery politics. When II years
old, IN 1872, he entered the army as a substitute
for his brother, and saw service against the 10
dams near Sandusky Bay. subsequently he
/ taught school, began the law in 1877, studying
with Elisha Whittlesey and was admitted to the
I oar IN 1920. 10 1926 his public political lla
commenced with his choice as representative ~
tne State Legislature Declining reelection,
/ ne pursued his profession till 1888, and in thai
year was chosen to Congress TO succeed hrs in
structor, Mr.. Whittlesey. Hencelorward hid
career became part Of the history Of the Anti
Slavery movement.
| HIS principles were settled before he entered
Congress AT the beginning Of bis service as
/ Representative be beoime identified with the
cham pions Of Anti-S.ayery. By the side at
John Quincy Adams, he defended the right Of
( petition, declared Tor the abolition OF Slavery
and the slaye-trade il the District Ot Columbia,
aud espols9d the cause Of Territorial freedom.
But those were the days when freedom OF speech
in Congress was at the mercy of slaveholdiDg
+ olgarchy, and Mr.. GIddings's first attempt u
/ be heard against the saye-trade in 1889 was
vain one In l84l be found leave to speak
against the Florida War as pro Slavery COZ
test 10 1912 came the celebrated Creole case,
| in which slaves on board vessel Of that name,
Ealing from Virginia for New Orleans, rose
against their kldnappers, and carried the vessel
into BRUSH port. Mr. Webster then oecre
tafy OF State, demanIel indemnlicaton from
the British Government, and Mr. Glddlngs on
the 2lst Of March, offered series Of 1850 atons
| N Congress, declaring, alter etateme OF
general principles Of liberty, that the Africans
| ol the reOle had violated no law 10 resumiug
| their natural rights, and that any attempt ~
reensldye them Was unconstitutional aud incOls-
pauble with the national honor. Mr.. Giddlnls
however, at the solicitation Of party lIends,
withdrew his resolutions and for Of ring them
was censured by The House. Resignlng bis seat
be was rech0sen by great majority and there
after WAS re lectcd for successive terms TIL 1899
o p'ri0d OF , year.
throughout his Congressional life biz Anti
Slavery record was consistent. His political o.
sOclatonl were win the Wing party, though n
ls47 be refused to vote for Robert O. Winthrop
Tor Speaker, aud IN 1916 declined t. support
Taylor for Plesiden,-in both instances because
be deemed those candidates untrustwort0y On
the Slavery question He strenuously opp, sod
the compromise measures in 1850 in these as
10 other cases, subordinatiDg bis party associa-
tons 10 the demands oil conscience ana the Anti
Slavery cause. lie was hatel By the Pro-SlayeTy
leaders IN Congrgss and The Pros avery parties
OF the country as perhaps 10 political leader eG.
cept John Quincy Adams had been, but no
amount OF opposition, or OF personal peril, or
Of sacrifice, ever caused him 10 alter
Mr. Giddings was appointed by President
Lincoln Consul General ior Canada IN 1861, and
has since discharged the duties OF tn { office at
Montreal lie dies ripe m years aud 10 fame
dies just tOo soon To- witness the final triumph u
the cause to which be gave unresetyedly The en-
ergl,s ol his life.