Joshua Reed Giddings
Joshua Reed Giddings (October 6, 1795 – May 27, 1864) was an American attorney, politician and a prominent opponent of slavery. He represented Northeast Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1838 to 1859. He was at first a member of the Whig Party and was later a Republican, helping found the party.
Joshua Giddings | |
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Photograph by Mathew Brady | |
| Dean of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office March 4, 1855 – March 4, 1859 | |
| Preceded by | Linn Boyd |
| Succeeded by | John S. Phelps |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio | |
| In office December 5, 1842 – March 3, 1859 | |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | John Hutchins |
| Constituency | 16th district (1842–1843) 20th district (1843–1859) |
| In office December 3, 1838 – March 22, 1842 | |
| Preceded by | Elisha Whittlesey |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Constituency | 16th district |
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives | |
| In office 1826–1827 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joshua Reed Giddings October 6, 1795 Tioga Point, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 27, 1864 (aged 68) Montreal, Canada |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican (before 1834) Whig (1834–1848) Free Soil (1848–1854) Opposition (1854–1856) Republican (1856–1864) |
| Signature | |
Giddings is noted as a leading abolitionist of his era. He was censured in 1842 for violating the gag rule against discussing slavery in the House of Representatives when he proposed a number of Resolutions against federal support for the coastwise slave trade, in relation to the Creole case. He quickly resigned, but was overwhelmingly re-elected by his Ohio constituents in a special election to fill the vacant seat. He returned to the House and served a total of nearly twenty more years as representative.
Giddings is one of the main reasons that the Western Reserve was, before the Civil War, one of the most anti-slavery regions of the country.