John Slidell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Minister to Mexico | |
| In office 1845–1846 | |
| President | James K. Polk |
| Preceded by | Wilson Shannon |
| Succeeded by | David Conner |
| United States Senator fromLouisiana | |
| In office December 5, 1853 – February 4, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Pierre Soulé |
| Succeeded by | William P. Kellogg |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1843 – November 10, 1845 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Douglass White, Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Emile La Sére |
| Member of theLouisiana House of Representatives | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1793 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 9, 1871(1871-07-09) (aged 77–78) Cowes,Isle of Wight, England |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mathilde Deslonde Slidell |
| Children | Alfred Marie Matilda |
| Alma mater | Columbia College |
| Profession | Politician,Lawyer,Merchant |
John Slidell (1793 – July 9, 1871) was an American politician, lawyer, slaveholder, and businessman.[1] A native ofNew York, Slidell moved toLouisiana as a young man. He was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives,U.S. House of Representatives and theU.S. Senate.[2] He was one of two Confederate diplomatscaptured by the United States Navy from the British shipRMSTrent in 1861 and later released. He was the older brother ofAlexander Slidell Mackenzie, a U.S. naval officer.
He was born to merchant John Slidell and Margery née Mackenzie, a Scot. He graduated fromColumbia University (then Columbia College) in 1810. In 1835, Slidell married Mathilde Deslonde. They had three children: Alfred Slidell, Marie Rosine (later [on 30 Sept. 1872]comtesse [Countess] de St. Roman), and Marguerite Mathilde (later [on 3 Oct. 1864]baronne [Baroness]Frederic Emile d'Erlanger).[3]
He was theUnited States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1829 to 1833; his brotherThomas Slidell held the post from 1837 to 1838.[4]
Prior to theMexican-American War, Slidell was sent toMexico by PresidentJames Knox Polk to negotiate an agreement whereby theRio Grande would be the southern border ofTexas. He also was instructed to offer, among other alternatives, a maximum of $25 million forCalifornia by Polk and his administration.[5] Slidell warned Polk that the Mexican reluctance to negotiate a peaceful solution might require a show of military force by the United States to defend the border. Under the command of GeneralZachary Taylor, U.S. troops were sent into the disputed area between the Rio Grande andNueces Rivers. The Mexican government, in a state of chaos at the time, rejected Slidell's mission. After Mexican forcesrepelled a U.S. scouting expedition, theUnited States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.
Slidell developed a close friendship withJames Buchanan when Buchanan was Secretary of State.[6]
Slidell was elected to the Senate in 1853 and cast his lot with other pro-Southern congressmen to repeal the Missouri Compromise, acquire Cuba, and admit Kansas as a slave state. In the 1860 campaign, Slidell supported Democratic presidential candidateJohn C. Breckinridge but remained a pro-Union moderate untilAbraham Lincoln's election resulted in the Southern states seceding. At theDemocratic National Convention inCharleston, South Carolina, in April 1860, Slidell plotted withFire-Eaters, such asWilliam Lowndes Yancey ofAlabama, to stymie the nomination of the popular Northern Democratic SenatorStephen A. Douglas ofIllinois.[citation needed]
Slidell soon accepted a diplomatic appointment to represent the Confederacy in France. Slidell was one of the two Confederate diplomats involved in theTrent Affair in November 1861. After he was appointed the Confederate commissioner toFrance in September 1861, he ran the blockade from Charleston, South Carolina, withJames Murray Mason ofVirginia. They then set sail fromHavana on the Britishmail boat steamerRMSTrent but were intercepted by theUS Navy while en route and taken into captivity atFort Warren in Boston.
The northern public erupted in a huge display of triumphalism at this dramatic capture. Even the cool-headed Lincoln was swept along in the celebratory spirit, but when he and his cabinet studied the likely consequences of a war with Britain, their enthusiasm waned. After some careful diplomatic exchanges, they admitted that the capture had been conducted contrary to maritime lawand that private citizens could not be classified as "enemy despatches." Slidell and Mason were released, and war was averted.
After the resolution of theTrent Affair, the two diplomats set sail for England on January 1, 1862. From England, Slidell at once went toParis, where, in February 1862, he paid his first visit to the French minister of foreign affairs. His mission to gain recognition of the Confederate States byFrance failed, as did his effort to negotiate a commercial agreementfor France to get control of Southern cotton if the blockade were broken. In both cases, France refused to move without the co-operation ofEngland.[7][8] He succeeded in negotiating a loan of $15,000,000 fromEmile Erlanger & Co. and in securing the shipStonewall for the Confederate government.[9][10]
Slidell moved toParis, France, after the Civil War. He died inCowes,Isle of Wight,England, at age 78. Along withJudah P. Benjamin andA. Dudley Mann, Slidell was among the high-ranking Confederate officials buried abroad.
John Slidell was the brother ofAlexander Slidell Mackenzie, a naval officer who commanded theUSSSomers, on which a unique event occurred in 1842 off the coast of Africa during theBlockade of Africa. Three crewmen were hanged after being convicted ofmutiny at sea. Mackenzie reversed the order of his middle and last names to honor a maternal uncle.
Slidell was also the brother-in-law of the American naval CommodoreMatthew C. Perry, who was married to Slidell's sister, Jane. Another brother,Thomas Slidell, was chief justice of theLouisiana Supreme Court.
The city ofSlidell inSt. Tammany Parish,Louisiana, was named in his honor by his son-in-law, BaronFrederic Emile d'Erlanger; the village ofSlidell, Texas, is also named after him.[11]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's 1st congressional district March 4, 1843 – November 10, 1845 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Louisiana December 5, 1853 – February 4, 1861 Served alongside:Judah P. Benjamin | Succeeded by |
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| 1. Because ofLouisiana's secession, the Senate seat was vacant for seven years before Kellogg succeeded Slidell. | ||
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