Richard Bennett Carmichael
Encyclopedia
Richard Bennett Carmichael (December 25, 1807 – October 21, 1884) was an American
politician.
Born in Centreville, Maryland
, Carmichael attended the academy at Centreville and Dickinson College
of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
, and graduated from Princeton College in 1828. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1830, and commenced practice in Centreville.
Carmichael served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
in 1831 and again from 1841-1866. He was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress and served from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1835. He resumed the practice of law afterwards.
Carmichael was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1856, 1864, 1868, and 1876, judge of the circuit court from 1858 to 1864, and presiding judge of the county court of Queen Anne's County, Maryland
in 1861. He served as a member and president of the State constitutional convention in 1867. He died at “Wye” near Carmichael, Maryland, and is interred in the family burying ground at “Wye”.
Richard Carmichael was the grandnephew of William Carmichael
.
, Judge Richard Bennett Carmichael was a presiding circuit court judge for Kent, Queen Anne, Caroline, and Talbot counties. In November 1861, federal officials arrested three men charged with interfering with the election process after they heckled Unionists at a rally. Opposed to the arbitrary arrests and abuse of civil liberties, Carmichael instructed grand juries to indict the persons who made or abetted such arrests. As a result, Secretary of State William Seward
ordered Judge Carmichael's arrest. On May 27, 1862, Union Army General John Adams Dix
in turn, issued orders for the arrest of Judge Carmichael, now suspected of being a southern sympathizer. More than 125 deputies and soldiers surrounded the courthouse, two them entered the courtroom and seized Carmichael. A man named John L. Bishop beat Carmichael over the head with his pistol until the judge was unconscious. Carmichael was dragged out of the courtroom and taken by steamer to Fort McHenry. Six months later he was released without ever being charged or tried for any crime.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician.
Born in Centreville, Maryland
Centreville, Maryland
Centreville is an incorporated town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. Incorporated in 1794, it is the county seat of Queen Anne's County. The population was 1,970 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 21617 and the area code is 410. The local telephone exchange is 758...
, Carmichael attended the academy at Centreville and Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, and graduated from Princeton College in 1828. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1830, and commenced practice in Centreville.
Carmichael served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1831 and again from 1841-1866. He was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress and served from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1835. He resumed the practice of law afterwards.
Carmichael was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1856, 1864, 1868, and 1876, judge of the circuit court from 1858 to 1864, and presiding judge of the county court of Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County is a county located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 47,798. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville is the county's most populous place...
in 1861. He served as a member and president of the State constitutional convention in 1867. He died at “Wye” near Carmichael, Maryland, and is interred in the family burying ground at “Wye”.
Richard Carmichael was the grandnephew of William Carmichael
William Carmichael
William Carmichael was an American statesman and diplomat from Maryland during and after the Revolutionary War. He participated in Benjamin Franklin's mission to Paris in 1776-8, represented Maryland in the Continental Congress in 1778 and 1779 and was the principal diplomat for the United States...
.
Controversy
During the American 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...
, Judge Richard Bennett Carmichael was a presiding circuit court judge for Kent, Queen Anne, Caroline, and Talbot counties. In November 1861, federal officials arrested three men charged with interfering with the election process after they heckled Unionists at a rally. Opposed to the arbitrary arrests and abuse of civil liberties, Carmichael instructed grand juries to indict the persons who made or abetted such arrests. As a result, Secretary of State William Seward
William Seward
William Seward may refer to:*William Seward, English anecdotist, 1747-1799*William H. Seward, United States Secretary of State, 1861-1869*William H. Seward, Jr., his son, banker, Civil War general...
ordered Judge Carmichael's arrest. On May 27, 1862, Union Army General John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
in turn, issued orders for the arrest of Judge Carmichael, now suspected of being a southern sympathizer. More than 125 deputies and soldiers surrounded the courthouse, two them entered the courtroom and seized Carmichael. A man named John L. Bishop beat Carmichael over the head with his pistol until the judge was unconscious. Carmichael was dragged out of the courtroom and taken by steamer to Fort McHenry. Six months later he was released without ever being charged or tried for any crime.