Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.38.134.185 (talk) at 00:55, 4 December 2013. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

James Asheton Bayard, the younger
United States Senator from Delaware
In office March 4, 1851 – January 29, 1864
Preceded by	John Wales
Succeeded by	George R. Riddle
In office April 11, 1867 – March 4, 1869
Preceded by	George R. Riddle
Succeeded by	Thomas F. Bayard, Sr.
Personal details
Born	(1799-11-15)November 15, 1799 Wilmington, Delaware
Died	June 13, 1880(1880-06-13) (aged 80) Wilmington, Delaware
Political party	Democratic
Residence(s)	Wilmington, Delaware
Profession	lawyer

James Asheton Bayard, the younger (November 15, 1799 – June 13, 1880) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party and served as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life and family

Bayard was born in Wilmington, Delaware, son of James A. Bayard, the elder and Nancy Bassett Bayard. His father was a member of the Federalist Party and served as U.S. Representative from Delaware and U.S. Senator from Delaware. His mother was the daughter of Richard Bassett, U.S. Senator from Delaware, and signatory to the United States Constitution. His older brother, Richard H. Bayard, was also a U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Professional and political career

Bayard studied the law, and began his legal practice in the city of Wilmington. From 1836 until 1843 he served as United States District Attorney for Delaware and in 1851 was elected by the General Assembly to the United States Senate. He was re-elected in 1857 and 1863 and served from March 4, 1851, to January 29, 1864, when he resigned. As U.S. Senator he was chairman of the Committee on Engrossed Bills in the 32nd Congress, a member of the Committee on Public Buildings in the 33rd Congress and 34th Congress, a member of the Committee on Judiciary in the 35th Congress and 36th Congress, and a member of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds in the 35th Congress.

Bayard served on the boards of various railroads, including the Wilmington and Susquehanna Railroad, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (for which service he is named on the 1839 Newkirk Viaduct Monument), and the Pennsylvania Railroad.

In 1846, Bayard helped bring a civil suit against Thomas Garrett, a Wilmington iron merchant who was also a key stationmaster on the Underground Railroad. Bayard represented slave owners in the suit, which charged Garrett with helping around 10 slaves escape to freedom. The proceedings were heard at U.S. District Court in New Castle, Delaware, by Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, who would eight years later preside over the Dred Scott case at the U.S. Supreme Court. Bayard won a judgement that all but bankrupted Garrett, who declared on the spot that he would redouble his anti-slavery efforts: "Friend, I haven't a dollar in the world, but if thee knows a fugitive who needs a breakfast, send him to me."

Bayard was a conservative and adhered to his interpretation of tradition throughout the Civil War. He believed that the seceding states should be allowed to go their own way, and privately hoped for the secession of Delaware and a state convention to address the issue. Citing property rights of owners, he opposed abolitionist measures. He also stated both his opposition to the Civil War and his opposition to any presidential or congressional acts used to suppress the independence of the Southern states.

During the Civil War, the United States Senate passed a rule stating that all senators would have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Union. Bayard refused, stating that such an oath would be unconstitutional, and after taking the oath and making a long speech concerning its illegality, resigned his post in the Senate.

When the death of his successor, George R. Riddle, caused a vacancy in the United States Senate in 1867, Bayard interrupted his practice of law in Wilmington and served again as the U.S. Senator from April 5, 1867, to March 4, 1869. During the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, Bayard cast a vote of "not guilty." After declining to again run for reelection, he continued his law practice until his death.

In 1872, his was among the nine politicians' names submitted by the House of Representatives to the Senate for investigation in the Credit Mobilier scandal. He wrote a letter disavowing any knowledge of the affair, and his name was generally dropped from the investigation.

Death and legacy

Bayard died at Wilmington and is buried there in the Old Swedes Episcopal Church Cemetery. He was the father of U.S. Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Sr. and grandfather of U.S. Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Jr.

Almanac

The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators, who took office March 4, for a six-year term. In his last Congress he was completing his initial term, the vacancy caused by the death of George R. Riddle, who had been appointed to replace him.

Notes

1. Railway Locomotives and Cars, Volume 6
2. The Pennsylvania Railroad, Volume 1: Building an Empire, 1846-1917 by Albert J. Churella
3. "Thomas Garrett (b. August 21, 1789 - d. January 24, 1871)". Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series). Maryland State Archives. July 19, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
4. Brion McClanahan, "A Lonely Opposition: James A. Bayard and the American Civil War." Ph. D. Dissertation, University of South Carolina, 2006
5. "The Expulsion Case of James W. Patterson of New Hampshire (1873) (Crédit Mobilier Scandal)". U.S. Senate Historical Office. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
6. Resigned
7. Elected to fill vacancy caused by George R. Riddle's death

References

• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Cedar Tree Books, Wilmington. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (2003). Delawareans in Congress: The House of Representatives. Roger A. Martin, Newark. ISBN 0-924117-26-5.
• Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
• Scharf, John Thomas. (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. L. J. Richards & Co., Philadelphia.

Images

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress; portrait courtesy of the Library of Congress.

External links

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard
• "Bayard, James Asheton (Jr.)" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1900.

• Delaware Historical Society
• University of Delaware

v t e United States senators from Delaware
Class 1	Read Latimer White Horsey C. A. Rodney T. Clayton McLane Naudain R. Bayard J. M. Clayton Wales J. Bayard Jr. Riddle J. Bayard Jr. T. Bayard Sr. Gray Ball H. du Pont Wolcott T. C. du Pont T. Bayard Jr. Townsend Tunnell Williams Roth Carper Blunt Rochester
Class 2	Bassett Vining J. Clayton Wells J. Bayard Sr. Wells Van Dyke D. Rodney Ridgely J. M. Clayton T. Clayton Spruance J. M. Clayton Comegys Bates W. Saulsbury Sr. E. Saulsbury Higgins Kenney Allee Richardson W. Saulsbury Jr. Ball T. C. du Pont Hastings Hughes Buck Frear Boggs Biden Kaufman Coons

Template:Persondata

• 1799 births
• 1880 deaths
• Bayard family
• American Episcopalians
• People from Wilmington, Delaware
• Delaware lawyers
• People of Delaware in the American Civil War
• United States Senators from Delaware
• Delaware Democrats
• Burials in Wilmington, Delaware
• Union College (New York) alumni
• Democratic Party United States Senators