Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/162

 CASS.

CASSIDY.

of the people, and visited England, where he %vitnessed the coronation of Queen Victoria. He made a long voyage in the frigate Constitution through the Mediterranean and adjacent seas, and his impressions were afterwards published in the Soittheni Literary Messenger, and are evidences of his superior scholarship. In 1841 the quintuple treaty for the suppression of the slave trade was negotiated by England, France, Prussia, Russia and Austria. By the treaty the contracting powers were authorized to detain and search one another's vessels on reasonable suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade. Mr. Cass detected in this an aggressive movement against the United States and immediately \mh- lished a vigorous protest against the treaty, and urged the French government against the ratifi- cation. This action accomplished its purpose, and was afterwards sanctioned by the home gov- ernment. His position was that a suspected vessel flying a foreign flag can be detained and examined only at the detainer's peril. On the ratification of the Ashburton treaty, without any renunciation by England of the right of search, Cass resigned as United State? minister, and returned home in 1842, where he received flattering addresses and banquets in Boston, New York, Washington, and at every stage of his journey to Detroit. At the Democratic national convention of 1844, Mr. Cass, after leading the various candidates in many ballots, was de- feated for nomination to the presidency by James K. Polk. In the canvass following, as well as in his administration, Polk received the liearty sup- port of Mr. Cass, who, on Feb. 4, 1845, was elected United States senator from Michigan and given the second place on the committee on foreign afi'airs. In the great slavery controversy he deprecated the introduction of the Wilmot pro- viso as premature, and he formulated the com- promise proposition that the internal concerns of the territories should be regulated solely by their inhabitants. At the Democratic national con- vention of May, 1848, Senator Cass was nomin- ated as candidate for President on the fourth ballot, and at once resigned his seat in the sen- ate. On the nation's choice falling on General Taylor, who carried the election largely through his personal popularity Avon in the Mexican war, aided by the division in the old parties caused by the defection of both Whigs and Democrats to Van Buren, the legislature of Michigan re-elected Mr. Cass to the senate to fill his own unexpired terra. Here he disregarded the express instruc- tions of his state, and throughout the 31st Con- gress was the main ally of Henry Clay, favored the doctrine of popular sovereignty and op- posed the Wilmot proviso. He was present in the senate when the fugitive slave law was

passed but declined to vote. He urged the cessation of unnecessary agitation, and the im- portance of harmony with so much force and conviction that the legislature of Michigan finally revoked its instructions, and re-elected him to the senate in 1851 by an increased majority. In 1852 he was a prominent candidate before the Democratic national convention for President, when the nomination went to Franklin Pierce. In 1854 the Michigan senators were instructed to vote for the prohibition of slavery in the terri- tories, and for the repeal of the fugitive law. Cass again disregarded his instructions, and in 1857 Zachariah Chandler was elected senator from Michigan, Cass receiving sixteen ovit of one hundred and six legislative votes. Whea James Buchanan became President, Mr. Cass was made secretary of state. He opposed the constitutional principle stated in President Bu- chanan's message that a state could not be coerced, and urged the further garrisoning of the Federal forts in the south. Finding that the ad- ministration differed with him, on Dec. 14, 1860, he handed his resignation to the President. Two years later, at Hillsdale, Mich. , he made his last public address, calling for additional volunteers for the suppression of the rebellion, and declar- ing his ' ' love and reverence for our glorious con- stitution." His last public act was to urge President Lincoln and his cabinet by telegraph to surrender Mason and Slidell. General Cass was president of the American historical society, and his published works include : Inquiries Con- cerning ilie Histori/, Traditions and Langnages of til e Indians living- witJiin the United States (1823) ; France, its King, Court and Government (1840). Schoolcraft wrote liis life in 1848. Young in 1852. Smitli in 1856. and a memorial volume was issued in 1866. He died in Detroit, Micb., June 17, 1866.

CASSERLY, Eugene, senator, was born in Ireland in 1823, and was brought by his parents to New York in 1827. He was graduated at Georgetown college, D. C, and for about five years was connected with the New York news- paper press. He was admitted to the bar in 1845, and was corporation attorney for tlie city during 1846 and 1847. Removing to California in 1850 he settled in San Francisco. During 1850-'51 he published a daily paper, and in 1851-'52 was state printer, at the same time con- tinuing to practise law. He was elected to the U. S. senate as a Democrat in 1869, and resigned Nov. 29, 1873, on account of ill-health. He died in San Francisco, Cal., June 14, 1883.

CASSIDY, William, jovirnalist, was born in Albany, N. Y., Aug. 12. 1815: son of John Cassidy. He was prepared for college at Albany academy, and was graduated at Union college in 1834. A