Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/83

Rh Richmond. Va.. 24 Nov.. tHliR. was educated at. Virginia military institute. and at the l'niversity of l{'irginia. Later he published a newpaper in Leavenworth. Kansas. during the troubles in that territory. aml thence Went to Washington. where he was employed in the post-ofﬁce department. At the beginning of the civil war he was ue\vs edi- tor of the “ Baltimore Sun." l-ut removed to Rich- inond. where he became one of the editors of the "Richmond Examiner." After the war he was asso- ciated in the founding of “ The Richmond Times." aiid for a time was one of its staff. In lHtiti he re- vived the " Richmond Examiner." and controlled its editorial columns until INST. when he disposed -of his interest. He then established. with his brother. " Southern Opinion." of which he contin- ued until his death one of the editors and proprie- tors. Mr. Pollard was shot. at and killed from an upper window on the opposite side of the street by James Grant. who felt himself aggrieved by an ar- ticle that was publisth in I’ollard's paper.

'''PULLARD. Josephine'''. author. 1). in New York city about 15-10; d. there. 15 .\ug.. 1892. She was educated in her native city. and early acquired reputation as a hymn-writer. her best-known pro- duction being “ Outside the Gate." Her prose writings include numerous sketches that have been published in " Harper's Magazine " and other peri- odicals. Miss Pollard had written “ The Gipsy Books ” (6 vols.. New York. 1873—34) and “A Piece of Silver“ (1. ). She had contributed the text to “ Decorative Sisters " (New York. 11451); “Elﬁn Land " (1882): “ Boston ’l‘eaparty " (1882): “ Songs of Bird Life “(1855):” Vagrant Verses" (18.46); and. with John H. Vincent. " The Home Book " (1667).

'''POLLOCK. James.''' b. in Milton. Pa.. 11 Sept. 1H10: d. in Lot-k llaven. l’a.. 10 April, 1890. He was graduated at Princeton. and. after studying law. was admitted to the | ' in 1533. and opened an oﬂice in Milton. ln 1S: i he was chosen district attorney for his county. after which he held vari- ous minor oﬂices. lie was elected to congress as a Whig. and served from :33 April. 114-14. to 3 March. 1849. during which time he was an active member of several committees. On 23 June.1-’~'4$. he in- troduced a resolution calling for the appointment of a special committee to inquire into the neces- sity and practicability of building a railroad to the Paciﬁc Coast. .\s chairman of that committee he made a report in favor of the construction of such a road. This was the ﬁrst favorable oﬁ‘icial act on this subject on the part of congress. In 1850 he was appointed president-judge of the Rth judicial district of Pennsylvania. and in 135-1 he was elected governor of Pennsylvania as a Union- Republican. During his administration the whole line of the public works betwr-en Philadelphia and Pittsbnrg was transferred to the Pennsylvania railroad company. By this aml other means he reduced the state debt by nearly 331100001100. and this soon led to the removal of state taxation. He convened the legislature in extraordinary session during the ﬁnancial crisis of 1857. and. acting on his wise suggestions. laws were enacted whereby public conﬁdence was restored and the community was saved from bankruptcy. On the expiration of his term of oﬁ‘ice he resumed his law-practice in Milton. He was a delegate from his state to the Peace convention in \\'asl.ington in 1861. and after tne inauguration of President Lincoln he was ap- pointed director of the 1'. S. mint in Philadelphia. which place he then held until October. 11406. By his efforts. with the approval of Salmon P. Phase. then secretary of the treasury. the motto " In God we trust" was placed on the National coins. In 1%!) he was reinstated as director of the mint, which place he then ﬁlled for many years. In ISM) he was appointed naval ofﬁcer of Philadelphia, but resigned in lh‘h‘4. and resumed the practice of his profession. (tov. Pollock was very active in \ari- ous movements tending to promote educational and religious reforms. He received the honorary degree of LL. I). from Princeton in 1355. and from Jefferson (Willi-gr. l’:l.. in 1857.

'''POLLOCK. Oliver.''' merchant. b. in lrelaiid in 1757; d. in Mississippi. 17 Dec.. 1523. He came to this country with his father. and settled in ('um- bei‘land county. Pa. lle engaged in business in 170:! at llavana. (‘uba. where he became intimate with (loin-(ten. O'Rcilly. and. when the latter was made governor of Louisiana by the kingr of Spain. Pollock moved to New Orleans. By a wise and generous action. during the scarcity of "provisions in that city. he gained a reputation that made him able to be of great use to the Americans in New Orleans. When the Revolutionary war opened. I’ollock was in possession of large wealth and iiinch political inﬂuence. In 1777 the secret committee of the l'nited States appointed him " commercial agent of the United States at New Orleans." which post he held until the close of the war with great credit to himself and greater good to the United States. llc became to the west what Robert Mor- ris was to the east. IIis fortune was pledged to his country. To his ﬁnancial aid the l'nitcd States owes the success of Gen. George Rogers (‘larke in the Illinois campaign of 1778. During that year he borrowed from the royal treasury. through (iov. Galvey. . 70.000. which he spent for (‘larke's expe- dition and the defence of the frontier. But the poverty of the United States involved him. as it did Morris. in severe losses. In 1783 he was ap- pointed L'. S. agent at. Havana. where he was im- prisoned in 17H4 for the debts of the United States. amounting to $150000. Being released on parole, he returned to this country in 1785. In 1791 con- gress discharged this debt. but failed to reniunerate Pollock for his services. He retired to Cumberland county. Pa.. in 1791. impoverished. In 1797. 1804, and 1800 he was nominated for congress: but. al- though he received the popular vote of his county. he was not elected. In 1H00 he was an inmate of the debtors‘ prison in Philadelphia. but within a few years he accumulated property again. and in 1S1?) he moved to Mississippi. where he died. He was a nieinbcr of the Friendly Solis of St. Patrick and the lIihernian society of Philadelphia. See a sketch of him by,ltev. Horace E. Hayden (1&43).

'''POLVEREL. Etienne'''. French revolutionist. b. in Bearn. France in 17-12: d. in Paris. 6 Ala-0.1793. Ile was a lawyer.and was sent as deputy to the statcs- gcneral in 1739. Ile belonged to the extreme party in the revolution. and was appointed public prose- cutor in 1701. In 1792 he “as sent. with two other commissioners. to Santo Domingo to reorganize the colony. The three commissioners were invested with arbitrary power. and soon adopted measures that led to a war of extermination hetween the whites and negroes. The French colonists that escaped from the island accused the commissioners of crucl and arbitrary acts. while they in turn accused the whites of conspiring to deliver Santo [Domingo to the English. The acquittal by the revolutionary tribunal of Gen. d‘Esparbés. whom they had sent to France as a criminal. created more enemies. “‘llt accused them of being friends of the (tirondists. .\n order for the arrest of Polverel was sent out in 1703. but. owing to the distance of the island and the difﬁculty of communications. he was not brought to Paris until after the fall of Robespierre.