Benjamin Alden Bidlack
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Alden Bidlack was a Democratic
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
.
Benjamin Alden Bidlack was born in Paris, New York
. He moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
, and attended the public schools. He graduated from the Wilkes-Barre Academy, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1825 and commenced practice in Wilkes-Barre. He was elected district attorney of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
, in 1825. He moved to Milford, Pennsylvania
, in 1830, and served as Pike County
treasurer in 1834. He returned to Wilkes-Barre, and was elected a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
in 1835 and 1836. He was editor of the Republican Farmer and the Democratic Journal in Wilkes-Barre.
Bidlack was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-seventh
and Twenty-eighth
Congresses. He was appointed Chargé d'Affaires to Colombia
on May 14, 1845. He successfully negotiated a “treaty of peace, amity, and navigation” with Colombia and secured for the United States the right to build a canal or railroad across the Isthmus of Panama
. He died in Bogotá, Colombia in 1849, aged 44. He was interred in the English Cemetery.
He is known because he signed The Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty
(also known as the Bidlack Treaty and Treaty of New Granada); a treaty
signed between New Granada (today Colombia
and Panama
) and the United States
, on December 12, 1846. U.S. minister Benjamin Alden Bidlack negotiated the pact with New Granada's commissioner Manuel María Mallarino
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Benjamin Alden Bidlack was born in Paris, New York
Paris, New York
Paris is a town in Oneida County, New York, USA. The town is in the southeast part of the county and is south of Utica. The population was 4,609 at the 2000 census. The town was named after an early benefactor, Colonel Isaac Paris.-History:...
. He moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, and attended the public schools. He graduated from the Wilkes-Barre Academy, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1825 and commenced practice in Wilkes-Barre. He was elected district attorney of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, in 1825. He moved to Milford, Pennsylvania
Milford, Pennsylvania
Milford is a borough in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat. Its population was 1,021 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1796 by Judge John Biddis, one of the state's first four circuit judges, who named the settlement after his ancestral home in Wales.Milford has a...
, in 1830, and served as Pike County
Pike County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River * Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
treasurer in 1834. He returned to Wilkes-Barre, and was elected a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
in 1835 and 1836. He was editor of the Republican Farmer and the Democratic Journal in Wilkes-Barre.
Bidlack was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-seventh
27th United States Congress
The Twenty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1841 to March 3, 1843, during the one-month...
and Twenty-eighth
28th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Following the 1840 United States Census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats . During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida .- Senate :*President: Vacant...
Congresses. He was appointed Chargé d'Affaires to Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
on May 14, 1845. He successfully negotiated a “treaty of peace, amity, and navigation” with Colombia and secured for the United States the right to build a canal or railroad across the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
. He died in Bogotá, Colombia in 1849, aged 44. He was interred in the English Cemetery.
He is known because he signed The Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty
Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty
The Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty was a treaty signed between New Granada and the United States, on December 12, 1846. U.S...
(also known as the Bidlack Treaty and Treaty of New Granada); a treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
signed between New Granada (today Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
) and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on December 12, 1846. U.S. minister Benjamin Alden Bidlack negotiated the pact with New Granada's commissioner Manuel María Mallarino
Manuel María Mallarino
Manuel María Mallarino Ibargüen was a Colombian politician, lawyer and Member of Congress, who served as Vice-President of the New Granada, and as such he occupied the presidency of the country between 1855 and 1857....
.