James Speed
Encyclopedia
James Speed was an American
lawyer, politician and professor. In 1864, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln
to be the United States' Attorney General. He previously served in the Kentucky
Legislature, and in local political office.
Speed was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky
, to Judge John Speed and his second wife Lucy Gilmer Fry. He graduated from St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky
, studied law at Transylvania University
and was admitted to the bar at Louisville
, in 1833. He joined the Whig Party
and became a strong opponent of slavery.
. At this early point in his career, Speed was already agitating for the emancipation
of American slaves. Because of these views, his candidacy for becoming a delegate to the 1849 Kentucky Constitutional Convention was rejected. From 1851 to 1854, Speed served on the Louisville Board of Aldermen, including two years as its president. He taught as a professor in the Law Department of the University of Louisville
from 1856 to 1858, and would later return to teach from 1872 to 1879. He was one of the founders of the law firm of Stites & Harbison
.
was increasing in likelihood
, Speed worked to keep Kentucky in the Union
. He also became a commander of the Louisville Home Guard
. Elected to the Kentucky Senate
in 1861 he became the leader of the pro-Union forces. In 1862 he controversially introduced a bill to "confiscate the property" of those supporting the Confederacy in Kentucky.
In December 1864, President
Abraham Lincoln
appointed Speed Attorney General of the United States. After the assassination of Lincoln he became associated with the Radical Republicans and advocated the vote for male African Americans. Disillusioned with the increasingly conservative policies of President Andrew Johnson
, Speed resigned from the Cabinet in July 1866 and resumed the practice of law.
but lost it to Schuyler Colfax
.
Speed was a delegate to the National Union Convention
in Philadelphia in 1866 and served as president of the Convention. He was a candidate for U.S. Representative
from Kentucky's 5th District in 1870, and was a delegate to Republican National Convention
from Kentucky in 1872. He died in Louisville in 1887, and is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in that city.
He was the brother of Joshua Fry Speed
, as well as a distant descendant of the English cartographer John Speed
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, politician and professor. In 1864, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to be the United States' Attorney General. He previously served in the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Legislature, and in local political office.
Speed was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
, to Judge John Speed and his second wife Lucy Gilmer Fry. He graduated from St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, studied law at Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
and was admitted to the bar at Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, in 1833. He joined the Whig Party
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
and became a strong opponent of slavery.
Representative
In 1847 Speed was elected to the Kentucky House of RepresentativesKentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
. At this early point in his career, Speed was already agitating for the emancipation
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
of American slaves. Because of these views, his candidacy for becoming a delegate to the 1849 Kentucky Constitutional Convention was rejected. From 1851 to 1854, Speed served on the Louisville Board of Aldermen, including two years as its president. He taught as a professor in the Law Department of the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
from 1856 to 1858, and would later return to teach from 1872 to 1879. He was one of the founders of the law firm of Stites & Harbison
Stites & Harbison
Stites & Harbison has offices in Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort, Kentucky; Jeffersonville, Indiana; Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; and Alexandria, Virginia. U.S...
.
Civil War era
As the coming Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
was increasing in likelihood
Origins of the American Civil War
The main explanation for the origins of the American Civil War is slavery, especially Southern anger at the attempts by Northern antislavery political forces to block the expansion of slavery into the western territories...
, Speed worked to keep Kentucky in the Union
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He also became a commander of the Louisville Home Guard
Louisville Home Guard
The Louisville Home Guard was a pro-Union military unit organized early in the American Civil War in Louisville, Kentucky. The auxiliary militia served to help secure supplies of arms and weapons, as well as to patrol the streets and discourage Confederate sympathizers.The original Home Guard...
. Elected to the Kentucky Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
in 1861 he became the leader of the pro-Union forces. In 1862 he controversially introduced a bill to "confiscate the property" of those supporting the Confederacy in Kentucky.
In December 1864, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
appointed Speed Attorney General of the United States. After the assassination of Lincoln he became associated with the Radical Republicans and advocated the vote for male African Americans. Disillusioned with the increasingly conservative policies of President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, Speed resigned from the Cabinet in July 1866 and resumed the practice of law.
After representation
Speed's radical views were unpopular in Kentucky and his attempt to be elected to the Senate in 1867 ended in failure. In 1868, Speed was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
but lost it to Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax, Jr. was a United States Representative from Indiana , Speaker of the House of Representatives , and the 17th Vice President of the United States . To date, he is one of only two Americans to have served as both House speaker and vice president.President Ulysses S...
.
Speed was a delegate to the National Union Convention
National Union Convention
The National Union Convention was held on August 14, 15 , and 16 1866, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The convention was called in advance of the mid-year elections of 1866 in an attempt to help president Johnson,...
in Philadelphia in 1866 and served as president of the Convention. He was a candidate for U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Kentucky's 5th District in 1870, and was a delegate to Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
from Kentucky in 1872. He died in Louisville in 1887, and is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in that city.
He was the brother of Joshua Fry Speed
Joshua Fry Speed
Joshua Fry Speed was a close friend of Abraham Lincoln from his days in Springfield, Illinois, where Speed was a partner in a general store...
, as well as a distant descendant of the English cartographer John Speed
John Speed
John Speed was an English historian and cartographer.-Life:He was born at Farndon, Cheshire, and went into his father's tailoring business where he worked until he was about 50...
.
See also
- Farmington Historic Plantation
- List of people from Louisville, Kentucky
- Louisville in the American Civil War
External links
- Mr. Lincoln's White House: James Speed Biography
- "Joshua and James Speed" — Article by Civil War historian/author Bryan S. Bush