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VIRGINIA BIOGRArHY
graduated from the University of Pennsyl-
vania in 1818, studied law at William and
Mary College. X'irginia. and practiced law
at Winchester. \'irginia. In 182O he was
elected to the state legislature, and was re-
elected until 1S32. He was a member of
the X'irginia constitutional convention in
i8j<). and in 1832 served as a presidential
elector on the Jackson ticket, and was elect-
ed i*» Congress as a Jackson Democrat in
that year, and declined reelection at the end
ot his term, preferring to return to law prac-
tice. The \*irginia legislature elected him
to till an unexpired term in the United
Slates senate in 1847. and he was reelected
twice. He resigned in 1861 to cast his for-
tunes with the Confederacy. His fourteen
years as senator were stamped with an abil-
ity fur hard work. He served as chairman
of the committee on foreign relations fur
ten years. He was the author of the fugi
tive slave law in 1850. and strongly opposed
anti-slavery agitation. As soon as he re-
signed his seat in the United States senate
he was elected to the Confederate congress,
and was appointed, with John Slidell, com-
missioner from the Confederate States to
England and France. He sailed from
Charleston. South Carolina, for Cuba, Oc-
tiber 12. 1S61. and reached Havana safely.
The two commissioners engaged passage
en the r»ritish mail steamer Trent, and were
captured by Captain Charles Wilkes, of the
United Slater navy, as the vessel was pass-
ing through the Bahama Channel. They
were brought to Boston, and incarcerated
ill Fort Warren. Boston Harbor, but after-
ward, on demand of the British government,
they were released. January 2. 1862, and
jiroceeded on their mission to Eurc»pe.
where, until the close of the civil war. they
actively pushed the claims of the Confed-
eracy for recognition. Senator Ma.son spent
several years in Canada after the cessation
or hostilities, but in 1868 returned to his
home in Virginia*. He died at Alexandria,
\'irginia. April 28. 1871.
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