Rufus P. Spalding
Encyclopedia
Rufus Paine Spalding was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from Ohio
.
, Spalding graduated from Yale College
in 1817. After graduating, Spalding began his study of law as an apprentice under Zephaniah Swift
. Swift was a prominent lawyer and judge from Connecticut, and the author of several legal "digests." During his apprenticeship, Swift was the sitting Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court
. In December 1819, Spalding left New England and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas
. In Little Rock, Spalding established a law practice with Samuel Dinsmoore. Spalding and Dismoore practiced law together for a year and a half before Spalding dissolved the partnership and left the state. In 1821 Spalding moved to Warren, Ohio
to continue practicing. He moved to Ravenna, Ohio
in 1835 and, once again, commenced the practice of law.
as a Democrat. During his first term, Spalding's most notable accomplishment was overseeing the creation of Summit County, Ohio
. Lawmakers in the General Assembly had proposed legislation to form a new county six years before Spalding was elected, but the bill failed to gain the necessary support. Under the proposed plan, land from the western townships of Portage County, eastern townships of Medina County, and northern townships of Stark County was to be taken in order to create the new county. Republican Representatives from these counties opposed the legislation for political reasons. Following the 1839 election, the Democrats, led by Spalding, and the Whigs gained enough seats to form a coalition and pass bill. Following the creation of Summit County, Spalding moved from Ravenna to Akron, Ohio
.
Spalding was reelected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1841, and served as Speaker of the House for one term. During his second term, Spalding oversaw the defeat of a bill which would have repudiated the state debt. During the 1840s Ohio suffered from an inflationary boom. As a result, the state now faced repayment of the debt with dollars that were worth more than the money they had been previously borrowed. A popular solution at the time was to repudiate the debt. Spalding opposed the idea. He believed that if Ohio repudiated its debt and chose not to repay its creditors, it would make it harder for the state to borrow money in the future. Proponents of the debt repudiation bill continued to push for its passage. It was not until John Brough
, the State Auditor, joined Spalding in opposing the scheme, that the bill died.
of the Ohio Supreme Court
from 1849 to 1852.
. In 1849, local Free Soil leaders invited Spalding, who was still a Democrat, to give a speech at a party convention in Cleveland. In his speech, Spalding maintained that he was still a strict party man, but his speech was particularly critical of southern democrats. Spalding continued to argue that slavery should not be extended into the American territories and closed his remarks with a call to Free-Soilers to “stand fast” in their beliefs. In 1850, Spalding left the Democratic Party for the Free Soil Party. His primary motivation behind this decision was the Party's support of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which he felt made the Democrats a "pro-slavery" party.
In 1852, the Free-Soil party held their national convention in Pittsburgh to select a presidential candidate. The party selected Spalding as one of the thirteen delegates chosen to attend the convention. The Free-Soilers went to their convention with two potential presidential candidates in Salmon Chase, and John P. Hale
. Spalding and Chase were long time associates, and both Ohioans. Two years before, Spalding and Chase had toured Toledo and Cleveland speaking out against the Fugitive Slave Act. Despite his prior relationship Chase, Spalding chose to support Hale, at the convention. During the campaign, Spalding toured much of Northeast Ohio giving speeches in support of Hale. His efforts were unsuccessful however, and Hale failed to carry a single state in the election.
Despite being active in politics, Spalding also maintained a private law practice. As an outspoken opponent of slavery, Spalding began to rally other Cleveland attorneys against southern slaveholders who came to the North looking to claim fugitive slaves. In 1859, Spalding represented Underground Railroad
supporter Simon Bushnell in Ex Parte Bushnell. At trial, a jury convicted Bushnell of violating Article 4 Section 2 of the Constitution, and the Fugitive Slave Act because Bushnell obstructed a slaver-owner from capturing a fugitive slave name John. At trial, Spalding argued that the Fugitive Slave laws were unconstitutional. Despite Spalding’s efforts, Bushnell was found guilty and sentenced to serve sixty days in the Cuyahoga County jail, and to pay a fine of six hundred dollars.
Two years later, Spalding would again attempt to overturn the Fugitive Slave. In 1861, Spalding represented a runaway slave named Lucy who was captured in Cleveland. At trial,Spalding once again argued that enforcement of the Fugitive Slave laws was both unconstitutional, as well as immoral. Ultimately, Spalding was unsuccessful, and Lucy was returned to her owner. Some good did result from Spalding’s efforts. Lucy was the last slave to be sent back to the South from Ohio under the Fugitive Slave laws.
in 1854, anti-slavery politicians from various parties met in the Town Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio
to form what became the Fusion Party
. At the convention, Spalding chaired the Resolutions Committee. The committee drafted six resolutions, including one that pledged that the party would render inoperative the portion of the Kansas-Nebraska act which abolished freedom in the territory withdrawn from the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The Fusion Party would later become the Ohio Republican Party.
The first Republican presidential convention was held in 1856 in Philadelphia. Spalding was selected to be the delegate at large from Ohio. In addition to his position as a delegate, Spalding also served as the manager of John McLean
's campaign for the Presidential nomination. The night prior to the commencement of the convention Spalding wrote to McLean, expressing his optimism regarding his chances of beating the other major candidate, John C. Frémont
. The following day, shortly before the voting process was set to begin, Spalding shocked McLean supporters by announcing to the delegates that McLean was withdrawing his name for consideration of the nomination.
. Spalding won the election and was sworn in as a member of the Thirty-Eight Congress
. During his first term, Spalding was appointed to the Standing Committee on Naval Affairs, the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, and served as the chairman on the Select Committee on Bankruptcy Law.
Spalding was a great supporter of President Lincoln
. Spalding's made his commitment to the President known during his early years in Congress by introducing an act that repealed the fugitive slave laws of 1793 and 1850. Following the President’s assassination, Spalding was one of twenty-two representatives selected to meet Lincoln's remains at his funeral train in Springfield, Illinois
.
In 1864, Spalding was re-elected. During his second term he was made a member of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and retained his Chairmanship on the Bankruptcy Committee. Following the end of the Civil War
, Spalding took a leading role in the Congressional debates over Reconstruction. On January 22, 1864 Spalding delivered a speech to the Congress on the subject of confiscation of rebel property. Most of the measures suggested by Spalding were adopted into the Reconstruction Acts.
on August 29, 1886 and was interred in Lake View Cemetery
in Cleveland.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Early life
Born in West Tisbury, MassachusettsWest Tisbury, Massachusetts
West Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census. Along with Chilmark and Aquinnah, West Tisbury forms "Up-Island" Martha's Vineyard.- History :...
, Spalding graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1817. After graduating, Spalding began his study of law as an apprentice under Zephaniah Swift
Zephaniah Swift
Zephaniah Swift was an American jurist, author, and politician from Windham, Connecticut. He was born in Wareham, Massachusetts and moved with his parents to Lebanon, Connecticut. He completed preparatory studies and graduated from Yale College in 1778...
. Swift was a prominent lawyer and judge from Connecticut, and the author of several legal "digests." During his apprenticeship, Swift was the sitting Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court
Connecticut Supreme Court
The Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol...
. In December 1819, Spalding left New England and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. In Little Rock, Spalding established a law practice with Samuel Dinsmoore. Spalding and Dismoore practiced law together for a year and a half before Spalding dissolved the partnership and left the state. In 1821 Spalding moved to Warren, Ohio
Warren, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...
to continue practicing. He moved to Ravenna, Ohio
Ravenna, Ohio
* Chris Bangle; automobile designer* Bill Bower, last surviving pilot of the Doolittle Raid* David D. Busch; best-selling author* William Rufus Day; U.S. Supreme Court justice* Calvin Hampton; Classical organist* Robert B...
in 1835 and, once again, commenced the practice of law.
Ohio House of Representatives
In 1839, Spalding was elected to the Ohio House of RepresentativesOhio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
as a Democrat. During his first term, Spalding's most notable accomplishment was overseeing the creation of Summit County, Ohio
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
. Lawmakers in the General Assembly had proposed legislation to form a new county six years before Spalding was elected, but the bill failed to gain the necessary support. Under the proposed plan, land from the western townships of Portage County, eastern townships of Medina County, and northern townships of Stark County was to be taken in order to create the new county. Republican Representatives from these counties opposed the legislation for political reasons. Following the 1839 election, the Democrats, led by Spalding, and the Whigs gained enough seats to form a coalition and pass bill. Following the creation of Summit County, Spalding moved from Ravenna to Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
.
Spalding was reelected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1841, and served as Speaker of the House for one term. During his second term, Spalding oversaw the defeat of a bill which would have repudiated the state debt. During the 1840s Ohio suffered from an inflationary boom. As a result, the state now faced repayment of the debt with dollars that were worth more than the money they had been previously borrowed. A popular solution at the time was to repudiate the debt. Spalding opposed the idea. He believed that if Ohio repudiated its debt and chose not to repay its creditors, it would make it harder for the state to borrow money in the future. Proponents of the debt repudiation bill continued to push for its passage. It was not until John Brough
John Brough
John Brough was a War Democrat politician from Ohio. He served as the 26th Governor of Ohio during the final years of the American Civil War, dying in office of gangrene shortly after the war concluded....
, the State Auditor, joined Spalding in opposing the scheme, that the bill died.
Judicial career
Spalding served as an Associate JusticeAssociate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
of the Ohio Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Ohio
The Supreme Court of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a chief justice and six associate justices, each serving six-year terms...
from 1849 to 1852.
Free-Soil Party
As a Representative in the General Assembly, and while serving as a judge, Spalding was a member of the Democratic party, but throughout the 1840s he found his personal views increasingly at odds with the Party's position on slavery. While Spalding never advocated the interference of slavery in states in which it already existed, he believed that under no circumstances should slavery be extended into the territories. In 1847, Spalding delivered a speech in Akron in which he argued that “if the evil of slavery had been restricted, as it should have been, to the thirteen original states, self interest might have led to the extinction of practice long before now.” Spalding's advocacy against the spread of slavery drew the attention of the Free Soil PartyFree Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. It was a third party and a single-issue party that largely appealed to and drew its greatest strength from New York State. The party leadership...
. In 1849, local Free Soil leaders invited Spalding, who was still a Democrat, to give a speech at a party convention in Cleveland. In his speech, Spalding maintained that he was still a strict party man, but his speech was particularly critical of southern democrats. Spalding continued to argue that slavery should not be extended into the American territories and closed his remarks with a call to Free-Soilers to “stand fast” in their beliefs. In 1850, Spalding left the Democratic Party for the Free Soil Party. His primary motivation behind this decision was the Party's support of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which he felt made the Democrats a "pro-slavery" party.
In 1852, the Free-Soil party held their national convention in Pittsburgh to select a presidential candidate. The party selected Spalding as one of the thirteen delegates chosen to attend the convention. The Free-Soilers went to their convention with two potential presidential candidates in Salmon Chase, and John P. Hale
John P. Hale
John Parker Hale was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1843 to 1845 and in the United States Senate from 1847 to 1853 and again from 1855 to 1865. He was the first senator to make a stand against slavery...
. Spalding and Chase were long time associates, and both Ohioans. Two years before, Spalding and Chase had toured Toledo and Cleveland speaking out against the Fugitive Slave Act. Despite his prior relationship Chase, Spalding chose to support Hale, at the convention. During the campaign, Spalding toured much of Northeast Ohio giving speeches in support of Hale. His efforts were unsuccessful however, and Hale failed to carry a single state in the election.
Despite being active in politics, Spalding also maintained a private law practice. As an outspoken opponent of slavery, Spalding began to rally other Cleveland attorneys against southern slaveholders who came to the North looking to claim fugitive slaves. In 1859, Spalding represented Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
supporter Simon Bushnell in Ex Parte Bushnell. At trial, a jury convicted Bushnell of violating Article 4 Section 2 of the Constitution, and the Fugitive Slave Act because Bushnell obstructed a slaver-owner from capturing a fugitive slave name John. At trial, Spalding argued that the Fugitive Slave laws were unconstitutional. Despite Spalding’s efforts, Bushnell was found guilty and sentenced to serve sixty days in the Cuyahoga County jail, and to pay a fine of six hundred dollars.
Two years later, Spalding would again attempt to overturn the Fugitive Slave. In 1861, Spalding represented a runaway slave named Lucy who was captured in Cleveland. At trial,Spalding once again argued that enforcement of the Fugitive Slave laws was both unconstitutional, as well as immoral. Ultimately, Spalding was unsuccessful, and Lucy was returned to her owner. Some good did result from Spalding’s efforts. Lucy was the last slave to be sent back to the South from Ohio under the Fugitive Slave laws.
Early Republican Party
Spalding was a major figure in the creation of the Ohio Republican Party. Following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska actKansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opening new lands for settlement, and had the effect of repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 by allowing settlers in those territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty if they would allow slavery within...
in 1854, anti-slavery politicians from various parties met in the Town Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to form what became the Fusion Party
Fusion Party
Fusion Party is a term that may have a variety of meanings in the political history of the United States.The Fusion Party was the original name of the Republican Party in the state of Ohio. In 1854, anti-slavery parties were forming in many northern states in opposition to the Kansas Nebraska Act...
. At the convention, Spalding chaired the Resolutions Committee. The committee drafted six resolutions, including one that pledged that the party would render inoperative the portion of the Kansas-Nebraska act which abolished freedom in the territory withdrawn from the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The Fusion Party would later become the Ohio Republican Party.
The first Republican presidential convention was held in 1856 in Philadelphia. Spalding was selected to be the delegate at large from Ohio. In addition to his position as a delegate, Spalding also served as the manager of John McLean
John McLean
John McLean was an American jurist and politician who served in the United States Congress, as U.S. Postmaster General, and as a justice on the Ohio and U.S...
's campaign for the Presidential nomination. The night prior to the commencement of the convention Spalding wrote to McLean, expressing his optimism regarding his chances of beating the other major candidate, John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
. The following day, shortly before the voting process was set to begin, Spalding shocked McLean supporters by announcing to the delegates that McLean was withdrawing his name for consideration of the nomination.
United States House of Representatives
In 1862, the Republican Party nominated Spalding to represent Ohio's 18th congressional districtOhio's 18th congressional district
The 18th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district ranges around the eastern part of Ohio, taking in a collection of small cities and rural areas. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since...
. Spalding won the election and was sworn in as a member of the Thirty-Eight Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
. During his first term, Spalding was appointed to the Standing Committee on Naval Affairs, the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, and served as the chairman on the Select Committee on Bankruptcy Law.
Spalding was a great supporter of President 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...
. Spalding's made his commitment to the President known during his early years in Congress by introducing an act that repealed the fugitive slave laws of 1793 and 1850. Following the President’s assassination, Spalding was one of twenty-two representatives selected to meet Lincoln's remains at his funeral train in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
.
In 1864, Spalding was re-elected. During his second term he was made a member of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and retained his Chairmanship on the Bankruptcy Committee. Following the end of the Civil War
American 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...
, Spalding took a leading role in the Congressional debates over Reconstruction. On January 22, 1864 Spalding delivered a speech to the Congress on the subject of confiscation of rebel property. Most of the measures suggested by Spalding were adopted into the Reconstruction Acts.
Personal life
He married Lucretia A Swift on Oct 1, 1822. they had at least three children; Charles G., Elizabeth B. and Col. Zephaniah Swift Spalding. Lucretia died between 1850–1858. His second wife was Nancy Pierson whom he betrothed on Jan 11 1859.Death
Spalding died in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
on August 29, 1886 and was interred in Lake View Cemetery
Lake View Cemetery
Lake View Cemetery is located on the east side of the City of Cleveland, Ohio, along the East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights borders. There are over 104,000 people buried at Lake View, with more than 700 burials each year. There are remaining for future development. Known locally as "Cleveland's...
in Cleveland.
External links
- Rufus P. Spalding at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...