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Compromise of 1850

(Encyclopedia) Compromise of 1850. The annexation of Texas to the United States and the gain of new territory by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the close of the Mexican War (1848) aggravated the…

Crittenden Compromise

(Encyclopedia) Crittenden Compromise, in U.S. history, unsuccessful last-minute effort to avert the Civil War. It was proposed in Congress as a constitutional amendment in Dec., 1860, by Sen. John J…

Granger, Francis

(Encyclopedia) Granger, Francis, 1792–1868, American political leader, b. Suffield, Conn. He practiced law in Canandaigua, N.Y., and served (1826–28, 1830–32) in the New York state legislature. A…

Atlanta Compromise

by Booker T. Washington Speech at the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Board of Directors and Citizens: One-third of the…

fire-eaters

(Encyclopedia) fire-eaters, in U.S. history, term applied by Northerners to proslavery extremists in the South in the two decades before the Civil War. Edmund Ruffin, Robert B. Rhett, and William L.…

Hill, Benjamin Harvey

(Encyclopedia) Hill, Benjamin Harvey, 1823–82, American statesman, b. Jasper co., Ga. A highly successful lawyer and Whig politician, he supported the Whig-Democratic alliance that carried Georgia in…

The Devil's Dictionary: Compromise

by Ambrose Bierce COMMONWEALTHCOMPULSIONCOMPROMISE -n. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have…

Rhodes, James Ford

(Encyclopedia) Rhodes, James FordRhodes, James Fordrōdz [key], 1848–1927, American historian, b. Ohio City (now part of Cleveland). While studying in Europe he visited ironworks and steelworks in…

Crittenden, John Jordan

(Encyclopedia) Crittenden, John Jordan, 1787–1863, U.S. public official, b. Woodford co., Ky. A Kentucky legislator (1811–17), Crittenden entered the U.S. Senate (1817–19) but resigned to resume…

Wheeler, William Almon

(Encyclopedia) Wheeler, William Almon, 1819–87, American legislator, vice president of the United States (1877–81), b. Malone, N.Y. Admitted to the New York bar (1845), he was district attorney of…