James Tallmadge Jr. | |
|---|---|
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| Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 1825 – December 31, 1826 | |
| Governor | DeWitt Clinton |
| Preceded by | Erastus Root |
| Succeeded by | Nathaniel Pitcher |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's4th district | |
| In office June 6, 1817 – March 3, 1819 | |
| Preceded by | Abraham H. Schenck |
| Succeeded by | Randall S. Street |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1778-01-28)January 28, 1778 |
| Died | September 29, 1853(1853-09-29) (aged 75) |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Mary Rebecca Tallmadge Van Rensselaer |
| Relatives | Matthias B. Tallmadge (brother) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
James Tallmadge Jr. (January 28, 1778 – September 29, 1853) was a United Stateslawyer, and politician who served as aUnited States Representative fromNew York's 4th congressional district. He introduced the anti-slaveryTallmadge Amendment to the bill admittingMissouri as a state, which triggered a serious political conflict between north and south.
James Tallmadge Jr. was born on January 28, 1778, inStanford,Dutchess County,New York. His father, Colonel James Tallmadge (1744–1821), led a company of volunteers at the capture of GeneralJohn Burgoyne. He graduated fromBrown University,Providence, Rhode Island in 1798.[1]
From 1798 to 1800, following his graduation from Brown, Tallmadge was secretary to New York GovernorGeorge Clinton. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1802, after which he practiced inPoughkeepsie and inNew York City. He wasSurrogate ofDutchess County from 1804 to 1810.[1]
He served in theWar of 1812 and commanded a company of home guards in defense of New York.[1]
Representative-electHenry B. Lee died on September 16, 1816. In the special election to replace him, Tallmadge was elected as aDemocratic-Republican to theFifteenth Congress. He served from June 6, 1817, to March 3, 1819.[1] In the House, he defended GeneralAndrew Jackson's course in theSeminole War.
His most famous action in Congress was theTallmadge Amendment to the bill forMissouri statehood. It would have restrictedslavery in Missouri and provided for its future termination. It read as follows:
And provided, That the further introduction of slavery or involuntary servitude be prohibited, except for the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been fully convicted; and that all children born within the said State, after the admission thereof into the Union, shall be free at the age of twenty-five years.[2]
In support of this amendment, on February 16, 1819, he delivered a powerful speech in opposition to the extension of slavery.[3] This speech was widely circulated, and was translated intoGerman. The House adopted the Tallmadge Amendment, but the Senate rejected it.
Tallmadge declined to run for a second term in the House. He continued the practice of law in New York City, and took a prominent role in civic affairs. He was a delegate to theConstitutional Convention of 1821, a member of theNew York State Assembly in 1824, andLieutenant Governor of New York from 1825 to 1826.[1]
In 1836, he visitedRussia, and helped introduce into that country several American mechanical inventions, especially cotton-spinning machinery. He was a delegate to the New YorkConstitutional Convention of 1846.
Tallmadge married Laura Tallmadge (1788–1824), his paternal second cousin. She was the daughter of John Tallmadge (1757–1823) and Phebe Pomeroy (1766–1842). Together, they had six children, only one who survived to adulthood.
Tallmadge died on September 29, 1853, in New York City. He is buried at theNew York Marble Cemetery.
His first cousin was United States Senator and Wisconsin Territorial GovernorNathaniel P. Tallmadge. His first cousin, once removed wasBenjamin Tallmadge, United States Congressman from Connecticut and spy for George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. His sister, Rebecca, marriedTheodorus Bailey, a United States Congressman and United States Senator from New York.
He assisted in the founding ofNew York University in 1831. The university conferred an honoraryLL.D. on him in 1838. He was also one of the founders of theAmerican Institute, a New York society for the promotion of inventions and technical education, and was its president from 1831 to 1850.
His only surviving grandchild, James Tallmadge Van Rensselaer, was a well-known lawyer in New York City.[4]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 4th congressional district June 6, 1817 – March 3, 1819 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of New York 1825–1826 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
