Silas Wright

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Silas Wright

Silas Wright Jr. (born May 24, 1795 in Amherst , Massachusetts , † August 27, 1847 in Canton , New York ) was an American politician and governor of the state of New York from 1845 to 1847 . He also represented his state in both chambers of the US Congress .

Early years and political advancement

Silas Wright attended Middlebury College in Vermont until 1815 . After moving to what is now Hudson Falls in Washington County, New York, he studied law . Wright was admitted to the bar in 1819 and began practicing the profession in Canton. Between 1824 and 1827, Silas Wright was a member of the New York Senate , where he was an opponent of DeWitt Clinton . Silas became a member of the Democratic Party . In 1827 he was promoted to brigadier general of the militia.

Congressman and Senator

Between March 4, 1827 and February 16, 1829 he represented his state in the US House of Representatives . There he supported the import tariff law of 1828, which later sparked the nullification crisis and the conflict between the federal government and the state of South Carolina . Wright also voted to set up a committee to deal with slavery and the slave trade in the state capital, Washington . From 1829 to 1833 he was the head of the State Comptroller of New York .

After the resignation of the US Senator William L. Marcy , Silas Wright was elected as his successor in Congress. After being re-elected in 1837, Wright served between January 4, 1833 and November 26, 1844. He resigned that day because he had since been elected governor of New York. In the US Senate, Wright was chairman of the finance committee. He supported President Andrew Jackson's anti- National Bank policies . In 1844 his party offered him the nomination for the office of US Vice President . But he refused this offer.

Governor of New York

On November 4, 1844, Silas Wright was elected governor of his state. He held this office between January 1, 1845 and January 1, 1847. During this time the University at Buffalo was founded and the education system reformed. Governor Wright vetoed the financing of canal construction projects and was also against a reform of the state constitution, which he could not prevent. In Delaware County and other areas of New York in 1845, after a petition against the rent had not been accepted by Parliament, peasants revolted against the high rent of the landlords . Wright used the militia against the unrest and the judiciary issued heavy penalties. After 14 members of the anti-rent movement moved into the state parliament through the elections in 1845, Wright converted the pronounced death sentences into life imprisonment and recommended restrictions on the feudal system to parliament. During Wright's tenure, the Mexican-American War also fell , to which New York State also had to contribute.

After the failed attempt at re-election, Silas Wright withdrew from politics. He retired to his farm in Canton, where he himself worked. He died there on August 27, 1847. He was married to Clarissa Moody.

Honors

Several counties are named after him: Wright County .

literature

Web links

Individual proof

  1. ^ Howard Zinn: A People's History of the United States . Harper Perennial, New York 2005, ISBN 0-06-083865-5 , pp. 212-213.
personal data
SURNAME Wright, Silas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wright, Silas Jr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH May 24, 1795
PLACE OF BIRTH Amherst , Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH August 27, 1847
Place of death Canton , New York