Charles Haines

January 24, 1792 (age 33)

Canterbury, New Hampshire, United States

While carrying on his law studies Charles Haines served as assistant editor of the leading journal of Vermont, published in Middlebury, and also as aide-de-camp to the governor of Vermont. Long an admirer of Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York, he became personally acquainted with him and soon after was appointed his private secretary. His duties served to stimulate his interest in politics and he began to take an active part in state affairs, writing on various current topics, particularly the canal question. During his first year in New York he published a pamphlet entitled Considerations on the Great Western Canal from the Hudson to Lake Erie (1818), twice republished by the New York Corresponding Association for the Promotion of Internal Improvements, and in 1821 he brought out another work entitled Public Documents, Relating to the New-York Canals. Though writing interfered with his legal work, Haines enjoyed a good practice from the beginning and took particular interest in questions involving federal and state constitutions. In 1824 he was admitted to the United States Supreme Court bar, having been retained as associate counsel in the first hearing of Ogden vs. Saunders, a case involving the constitutionality of the New York state bankruptcy law. Henry Clay was one of his associates. Daniel Webster was of opposing counsel. He also appeared in the patent case, Ex Parte Wood and Brundage, involving a motion to grant a writ of mandamus in which the Supreme Court granted the motion in his favor. In 1822-1823 Haines published the United States Law Journal and Civilian Magazine, and contributed to it editorials and essays. He grasped every opportunity to speak in public, especially on the issues concerning state internal improvements. When in 1824 DeWitt Clinton was removed as state-canal commissioner, Haines, in many speeches, publicly supported Clinton and denounced his removal as unjust, guiding the reaction of the public mind in favor of Clinton. On September 21, 1824, the convention of the People's party, in support of Clinton for governor, met at Utica. Though only thirty-two years of age, Haines exerted a great influence in Clinton's behalf and had the gratification of seeing him elected, in November of the same year, by a majority of thirty thousand. In January 1825 Governor Clinton appointed him adjutant-general of the state. From November 1824 he occupied himself mainly by writing articles on current political matters. Continuous sedentary habits, aggravated by a ruptured blood vessel, had seriously impaired his health and he was forced to seek recovery at Charleston, South Carolina. Finding recuperation a slow process, he returned to New York and on July 3, 1825, at the age of thirty-three, passed away. His funeral, on July 6, was attended by hundreds of mourners, among whom was the Marquis de Lafayette.

Back to Profile

Photos
Works

book

Two speeches delivered in the New York State Convention, September, 1824 : with the proceedings of the convention

(This reproduction was printed from a digital file created...)

Considerations On the Great Western Canal, from the Hudson to Lake Erie: With a View of Its Expence, Advantages, and Progress

(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

A Letter To Micah Sterling, From The State Of New York: On The Expediency Of Adopting A Uniform System Of Bankruptcy In The United States (1822)

(This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)

History of the Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912: Genealogy and Appendix

( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

Report on the Penitentiary System in the United States 1822 Hardcover (Lang:- English, Pages 222. Reprinted in 2015 with the hel...)

Charles Glidden Haines

Edit Profile

lawyer politician writer

Background

Charles Haines was born on January 24, 1792, at Canterbury, New Hampshire, United States, the youngest of the ten children of Samuel and Hannah (Johnson) Haines. His father had served as a captain of New Hampshire militia during the Revolution.

Education

Charles spent his boyhood on his father’s farm, attending the village school in winter. In 1812 he was admitted to Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. After graduation in 1816 shortly afterward he began the study of law under United States Senator Seymour. In 1818 he removed to New York City and entered the law office of Pierre Van Wyck as a law student and in 1821 was admitted to the New York bar.

Career

While carrying on his law studies Charles Haines served as assistant editor of the leading journal of Vermont, published in Middlebury, and also as aide-de-camp to the governor of Vermont. Long an admirer of Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York, he became personally acquainted with him and soon after was appointed his private secretary. His duties served to stimulate his interest in politics and he began to take an active part in state affairs, writing on various current topics, particularly the canal question. During his first year in New York he published a pamphlet entitled Considerations on the Great Western Canal from the Hudson to Lake Erie (1818), twice republished by the New York Corresponding Association for the Promotion of Internal Improvements, and in 1821 he brought out another work entitled Public Documents, Relating to the New-York Canals.

Though writing interfered with his legal work, Haines enjoyed a good practice from the beginning and took particular interest in questions involving federal and state constitutions. In 1824 he was admitted to the United States Supreme Court bar, having been retained as associate counsel in the first hearing of Ogden vs. Saunders, a case involving the constitutionality of the New York state bankruptcy law. Henry Clay was one of his associates. Daniel Webster was of opposing counsel. He also appeared in the patent case, Ex Parte Wood and Brundage, involving a motion to grant a writ of mandamus in which the Supreme Court granted the motion in his favor.

In 1822-1823 Haines published the United States Law Journal and Civilian Magazine, and contributed to it editorials and essays. He grasped every opportunity to speak in public, especially on the issues concerning state internal improvements.

When in 1824 DeWitt Clinton was removed as state-canal commissioner, Haines, in many speeches, publicly supported Clinton and denounced his removal as unjust, guiding the reaction of the public mind in favor of Clinton. On September 21, 1824, the convention of the People's party, in support of Clinton for governor, met at Utica. Though only thirty-two years of age, Haines exerted a great influence in Clinton's behalf and had the gratification of seeing him elected, in November of the same year, by a majority of thirty thousand. In January 1825 Governor Clinton appointed him adjutant-general of the state. From November 1824 he occupied himself mainly by writing articles on current political matters. Continuous sedentary habits, aggravated by a ruptured blood vessel, had seriously impaired his health and he was forced to seek recovery at Charleston, South Carolina. Finding recuperation a slow process, he returned to New York and on July 3, 1825, at the age of thirty-three, passed away. His funeral, on July 6, was attended by hundreds of mourners, among whom was the Marquis de Lafayette.