The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-29
Hon, ,Jamea A Rrie0s.

We note the death OF this gentleman
in our New York exchanges Of last week
Mr.. Briggs is well known to our readers
as well as to many Bennington people,
through his frequent letters to the BAN
EER, and we, therefore, make no apology
for copying what the Tribune has to say
Of him, as follows:
"James A. Briggs died at his home,
No. 90 Orange-street, Brooklyn. on
Thursday morning He was born at
Red Hook, in this State, on February 6.
1911, and went 10 live, after the death
of his parents, at Bennington, Vt. He
studied law in the Office Of his uncle,
George N. Briggs, who was Governor of
Massachusetts, for several terms, and
then went to Cleveland and was admit
ted to the bar Of the State of Ohio, He
practlsei law but little, however, devot-
ing himself more to politics. He was a
brilliant speaker land his service in polit-
ical campaigns were therefore Of much
value and were eagerly sought.
"In 1910 Mr.. Briggs was active In the
support OF the Wing party, and made
effective speeches for Harrison and Tyler
in Ohio. He was q speaker for his party
in all the campaigns following this. Mr..
Briggs was prompt to join in the Free
Soil movement in 1848, and when the
Republican party a. ose he Joined it, aud
was a firm Republican for the rest of
his life, He was intimate withthe party
leaders from 1910 down to as late q time
as Arthur's Presidency. He was one OF
Llncoln's early friends, and recognized
Mr.. Lincoln's great power and cspabili-
ties long before they came TO be at all
appreciated in the East.
after Mr.. Briggs came to this city,
in 1855, he induced Lincoln to come
here and, speak. Lincoln was little
known in this part Of the country then,
and the speech that he then made has
been regal ded as the beginning OF his
National reputation. 1t was the famous
Cooper Institute addres7. The speech
was delivered under the auspices OF q
club which was having series of lee
lures at the Institute and asked Mr..
Briggs to suggest some one to believer
one Of the lectures. When he suggested
Lincoln the members Of the club asked
who he was, said they were afraid he
would not please and declined to invite
him. He was asked only when Mr..
Briggs and three others guaranteed the
payment Of expenses.
while Solmon p. Chase was Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, Mr., Briggs was
made q special agent in the Treasury
Department, Governor Dix appointed
him State Assessor on February 70,
1878, and he remained in that office till
A, B. Cornell became Governor. His
conduct in Office was extremely credita-
tie, as he had made special study Of
the subject Of taxation,
"In Artbur's administration Mr.. Briggs
was made Deputy CJlectcr in the Gus
tom House. He had q stroke of paraly.
els, however, while sitting ct his desk
there one day, AMI he was an invalid for
the rest of bis life. He could walk q
little with the help Of crutches about
his house, or even for a short distance
in the street. Mr.. Briggs always had an
especial fondness for statistics and for
the study Of subjects connected with
taxation, and he wrote frt quent articles
for the newspapers onsthese and kin
red topics. For q number Of years he
wrote the Wall-Street articles for the
fn9yhne. In this work he was succeed
ed by John F. Cleveland, the brother-iu-
law Of Horace Greedy. Mr.. Briggs was
an able writer, and as a man was highly
eat omed by all with whom be wai
brought 10 contact. When a young mar
he married Miss Margaret Bayard, oil
Pittsburg, and after her death he mar
ried in 1851. Mrs. William F. Casey Of
Columbus, formerly Mics Catharine Var
Vechten, OF Albany. she is still living
They had one child, who died in infancy
"Mr. Briggs body will be buried 10
Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland"