WILSON
WILSON
re-organizing and provisioning the vast army.
His labor was conunendecl by Gen. WinfielJ
Scott as "more work in that short session, than
all that the cliairnien of the military committees
liad done for the last twenty years." He person-
ally recruited 2300 Massacluisetts volunteers, out
of which was formed the 2'2d Massachusetts
regiment, which he commanded as colonel until
he relinquislied his commission to Jesse A. Gove.
He served jus aide-de-camp to General McClellan
for a sliort time, after which he returned to
Washington. On Dec. 16, ISdl, he introduced a
bill for the abolition of slavery in the District of
Columbia, which was passed after bitter opposi-
tion and approved by the President, April IG,
1SG2. On July 17, 18G2, he secured the passage of
a bill enrolling all able-bodied men, between the
ages of eighteen and forty-five years, and re-
ceiving into the army persons of African descent,
declaring them free. He was again elected U.S.
senator in February, ISGo, for the term expiring
March 3, 1872, and at the Republican national
convention, held in Pliiladelphia, June 9, 1872,
received the nomination for vice-president of the
United States on the ticket with Ul^'sses S. Grant
for president, being elected, and taking his seat as
president of the U.S. senate, March 4, 1872. He
is the author of: History of the Anti-Slavery
Measures of the 37th and SSth Congresses (ISG.j);
Military Measures of the United States Congress
(1866); Testimonies of American Statesmen and
Jurists to the Tiniths of Christianity (1867); His-
tory of the Reconstruction Measures of the 39th
atid 40th Congresses (1868); A Contribution to.
History (1868), and History of the Rise and Fall
of the Slai'e Poirer in America (3 vols., 1872-75).
His " Life and Public Services" was written by
Thomas Russell and the Rev. Elias Nason (1872),
and congress directed the publication of a volume
of the obituary addresses that were delivered in
both houses (1876). Vice-President Wilson died
of apoplexy, at Washington, D.C., Nov. 22, 187.').
WILSON, James, signer, was born near St.
Andrew's, Scothmd, Sept. 14,1742. He attended
the Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and St.
Andrew's, and came to America about 1763, re-
maining in New York city until 1766, when
he began the stud\' of law in Pliiladelphia, tutor-
ing for a few months in the college of that city.
He was admitted to the bar in 1767, and after
practising in Reading and Carlisle, Pa., and in
Annapolis, Md., settled permanently in Philadel-
phia in 1778. He was first married about 1772,
to Rachel, daughter of William Bird of Birds-
lx)rough, Pa., and secondly, to Hannah, daughter
of Ellis Gray of Boston, Mass. lie was a mem-
ber of the Provincial conventions of 1774 and
177.5, and a delegate to the Continental congress,
177.5-78, 1782-83 and 178.5-87, signing the Declara-
tion of Independence of July 4, 1776, although
he h:rd been originally ojiposed to separation. He
also served as commissioner and supe'-uit^ude'it
of Indian affairs for the middle department, 1775,
and on several important committees; '"^•as C'.\'Onel
of militia, taking part in the New Jersey cam-
paign of 1776, and in the interim of his congres-
sional service practised his profession. His con-
servative opposition to the liberal policy of the
constitution and his professional defence of cer-
tain Tories resulted in a mob attack upon his
house, Oct. 4, 1779, his rescue and that of his asso-
ciates being effected by the city troops. He served
as advocate-general for the French government in
theUnitedStates, 1779; was appointed director of
the bank of North America. Dec. 31, 1781; commis-
sioned brigadier-general of militia in May, 1782,
and acted as counsel for the state in the following
November in the Connecticut controversy over
the Wyoming lands, winning the case. He was
a member of the constitutional convention of the
United States, 1787, serving as cliairman of the
committee to report the first draft of the con-
stitution, 1787, and in the Pennsylvania ratifica-
tion convention of 1788, although personally op-
posed to equal state representation, eloquently
defended the adoption of the final instrument.
He was also a member of the state constitutional
convention of 1789-90, where he served on the
committee appointed to draft the plan for the
direct election of senators, and served as as-
sociate justice of the U.S. supreme court, 1789-
98. He was appointed to revise and digest the
state laws in March, 1791, but his plan being re-
fused by the senate in August, he continued the
work without remuneration until his death. In
addition to his civil and official duties he also
held the professorship of English literature in the
University of Pennsylvania, 1773-79, and that of
law, 1790-98, serving as a trustee of the Uni-
versity, 1779-98, and receiving the honorary de-
gree of A.M. in 1766, and that of LL.D. in 1790.
He is the author of: An Address to the Citizens
of Philadelphia (1784); Commentaries on the
Constitution of the United States (London, 1792),
and of numerous pamphlets. See his "Works"
published posthumously (3 vols., 1803-04) bj- his
son, the Rev. Bird Wilson (1777-1859). Judge
Wilson (lied in Eden ton, N.C., Aug. 28, 1798.
WILSON, James, cabinet officer, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, Aug. 16, 1835. His parents emigrated to Norwich, Conn., in 1851, and James removed to Traer, Tama county, Iowa, in 1855. He attended the public schools in Iowa, and Iowa college, and engaged in farming. He was elect- ed a representative in the state legislature in 1861: served as speaker of the house, and was a Republican representative in the 4.3d and 44tli congresses, 1873-77, and in the 48th congress,
