Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/579

Rh the war of 1812 with England, when it was finally declared, but afterward gave to the government his support, both by money and by his voice in private and in the U. S. senate, to which he was again elected in 1813. In 1814 he made an eloquent appeal against the proposed desertion of Washing- ton after the British had burned the capitol. In 1816, without his knowledge, he was nominated as governor of New York, but was defeated, as he was also when a candidate of the Federal party for the presidency against James Monroe. During this senatorial term he opposed the establishment of a national bank with $50,000,000 capital ; and, while resisting the efforts of Great Britain to exclude the United States from the commerce of the West Indies, contributed to bring about the passage of the navigation act of 1818. The disposal of the public lands by sales on credit was found to be fraught with much danger. Mr. King was urgent in calling attention to this, and introduced and carried a bill directing that they should be sold for cash, at a lower price, and under other salutary re- strictions. In 1819 he was again elected to the senate by a legislature that was opposed to him in politics as before. Mr. King resisted the admission of Missouri with slavery, and his speech on that occasion, though only briefly reported, contained this carefully prepared statement : " Mr. President, I approach "a very delicate subject. I regret the occasion that renders it necessary for me to speak of it, because it may give offence where none is in- tended. But my purpose is fixed. Mr. President, I have yet to learn that one man can make a slave of another. If one man cannot do so, no number of individuals can have any better right to do it. And I hold that all laws or compacts imposing any such condition upon any human being are abso- lutely void, because contrary to the law of nature, which is the law of God, by which he makes his ways known to man, and is paramount to all human control." He was equally opposed to the compro- mise offered by Mr. Clay on principle, and because it contained the seeds of future troubles. Upon the close of this senatorial term he put upon record, in the senate, a resolution which he fondly hoped might provide a way for the final extinction of slavery. It was to the effect that, whenever that part of the public debt for which the public lands were pledged should have been paid, the proceeds of all fu- ture sales should be held as a fund to be used to aid the eman- cipation of such slaves, and the re- moval of them and of free persons of color, as by the laws of the states might be allowed to any territory beyond the limits of the United States. His purpose to retire to private life was thwarted by an urgent invitation from John Quincy Adams, in 1825, to accept the mission to Great Britain. Mr. King reluctantly acquiesced and sailed for Eng- land, where he was cordially received, but after a few months he was obliged, through failing health, to return home.— His wife, Mary, b. in New York, 17 Oct., 1769; d. in Jamaica, N. Y., 5 June, 1819, was the only daughter of John Alsop, a merchant, and a member of the Continental congress from New York, and married Mr. King in New York on 30 March, 1786, he being at that time a delegate from Massachusetts to the congress then sitting in that city. Mrs. King was a lady of remarkable beauty, gentle and gracious manners, and well cul- tivated mind, and adorned the high station, both in England and at home, that her husband's offi- cial positions and their own social relations entitled them to occupy. The latter years of her life, ex- cept while in Washington, were passed in Jamai- ca, L. I. — Rufus's brother, William, statesman, b. in Scarborough, Me., 9 Feb., 1768 ; d. in Bath, Me., 17 June, 1852, was endowed with exceptional mental gifts, but lacked early educational advan- tages for their development". After residing at Topsham, Sagadahoc co., Me., for several years, he removed to Bath in the same state, where he was a merchant for half a century. At an earlv period of his career he became a member of the Massachu- setts legislature, and took an active part in draft- ing and enacting the religious freedom bill, and securing to original settlers upon wild lands the benefit of their improvements. He was an ardent advocate of the separation of Maine and Massachu- setts, and presided over the convention that met to frame a constitution for the new state. He was subsequently elected the first governor of Maine, and at the conclusion of his term of office was ap- pointed U. S. commissioner for the adjustment of Spanish claims. He also held other offices of im- portance under the general and state governments, including that of collector of the port of Bath. He was a generous and intelligent patron of insti- tutions of learning. — His half-brother, Cyrus, law- yer, b. in Scarborough, Me., 16 Sept., 1772; d. in Saco, Me., 25 April, 1817, was graduated at Colum- bia in 1794. He accompanied his brother to Eng- land, where he acted as his private secretary. On his return he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practised twenty years at Saco, Me. He was elected a representative to the 13th congress as a Federalist, and re-elected to the 14th, serving from 24 May, 1813, till 3 March, 1817. His speeches in opposition to bills that provided for increased taxa- tion and for filling the ranks of the army in 1814 were characterized, says a contemporary, by " splen- dor of language and a profusion of imagery." — Rufus's eldest son. John Alsop, statesman, b. in New York city, 3 Jan.. 1788; d. in Jamaica, N. Y., 7 July, 1867, was, with his brother Charles, placed at school at Harrow during his father's residence in England. Thence he went to Paris, and then returned to New York, where he was admitted to the bar. In 1812, when war with Great Britain was declared, he gave his services to the country, and was later a lieutenant of cavalry stationed in New York. Soon after the war he removed to Jamaica, N. Y.. near his father's home, and was for several years practically engaged in farming. He was elected in 1819 and in several subsequent years to the assembly of the state, and, with his brother Charles, opposed many of the schemes of De Witt Clinton. He was, however, friendlv to the canal, and was chosen to the state senate 'after the adoption of the new constitution. From this he resigned in order that he might, as secretary of legation, accompany his father on his mission to Great Britain. The failure of the latter's health obliged him to return, and his son remained as charge d'affaires until the arrival of the new minister. Returning home to his residence at Jamaica, he was again, in 1838, sent to the assem-