The History and Debates of the Convention of the People of Alabama, Begun and Held in the City of Montgomery, on the Seventh day of January, 1861; in ... Sessions and Many Valuable State Papers
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This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
William Russell Smith was an American lawyer, congressman and author.
Background
William Russell was born on March 27, 1815 in Russellville, Kentucky, United States, the son of Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Hampton) Smith, descendants of old Virginia families. According to tradition, both of the boy's grandfathers fought in the battle of King's Mountain. Ezekiel, a planter, left his farm to fight in the Seminole War and shortly after his return he died. His widow moved to Huntsville, Alabama, and in 1820, to Tuscaloosa. Before William was ten years old she died also, leaving her children to the care of strangers.
Education
William was befriended by George W. Crabb, who recognized his ability and financed his education. He completed three years of college work at the University of Alabama.
Career
He entered the law office of his benefactor in 1834. He was soon admitted to the bar and opened an office in Greensboro, Alabama. He had been practising only one year when the outbreak of a Creek War led him to abandon law for arms. He raised a company and marched to the scene of conflict only to find that the uprising had been put down. His company then moved on toward Texas with the idea of aiding the Texans in their revolt against Mexico, but was stopped at Mobile by the news of the battle of San Jacinto. In Mobile he began the publication of a monthly, of which only six numbers were issued.
In 1837 he returned to Tuscaloosa. He edited a Whig newspaper of some merit and served as mayor in 1839. In 1841 and again in 1842 he was elected to the Alabama general assembly as a Whig. In 1844 he moved to Fayette County and from 1850 to 1851 served as circuit judge. In 1850 he was elected to Congress as a supporter of the Union and served until March 3, 1857. In 1855 he allied himself with the American party and was mentioned as a vice-presidential possibility in the election of 1856, but was defeated as an American candidate for Congress in that year.
After retiring from Congress he moved back to Tuscaloosa. He supported Bell and Everett in 1860 and opposed secession in the Alabama state convention of 1861, but recruited and became colonel of the 26th Alabama Regiment. Before active fighting began, however, he was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives, where he served throughout the war. He was a candidate for governor in 1865 and for Congress in 1866 and in 1878. He was defeated in 1865 and in 1878, and in 1866 he withdrew from the contest.
In 1870 he was elected president of the University of Alabama by the radical board of trustees, in an attempt to secure popular support for the university. After his resignation he practised law in Tuscaloosa until 1879, when he removed to Washington, where he practised and devoted much time to writing.
He was a prolific writer in many fields. As early as 1833 he published a volume of poetry, College Musings, or Twigs from Parnassus. His The Justice of the Peace (1841), a book for the guidance of magistrates, appeared in two subsequent editions under the titles The Jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace in Civil and Criminal Cases (1859, 1860). His Reports of Decisions of the Supreme Court of the State of Alabama (10 vols. , 1870 - 79), covering the period 1820-46, with notes, was widely known. His first wife was Jane Binion of Tuscaloosa, to whom he was married in 1843 and who died less than two years thereafter.
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Politics
Initially, he found it difficult to work with a Whig party, and he was severely criticized for his many shifts in party allegiance, as he was a Whig. He was opposed to the Whig position on the tariff and left the party in 1843. Later he became Democratic.
Personality
He was independent and an individualist.
Connections
On January 3, 1847, he married Mary Jane Murray of Fayette, Alabama. After her death in 1853 he married June 14, 1854, Wilhelmine M. Easby of Washington. He had children.