An Address Delivered Before the New England Society of Michigan
(
This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
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 Woodbridge was an American statesman in the states of Ohio and Michigan and in the Michigan Territory prior to statehood.
Background
William Woodbridge was born on August 20, 1780, in Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Dudley Woodbridge, II, a minuteman, and Lucy Backus. He was a descendant in the sixth generation of John Woodbridge, who settled in Newbury, Massachussets, in 1634.
Education
When the family in 1789 moved to Marietta, in the Northwest Territory, William and a brother were left behind to complete their schooling. In 1797 William chose instead of his father's alma mater, Yale College, the famous law school of Tapping Reeve at Litchfield, Connecticut. After about three years there he rejoined his father's family. His educational training also included about a year's study of French among the settlers at Gallipolis and several years in a Marietta law office. In this law office he met Lewis Cass, whose friendship played an important part in determining his career.
Career
In 1806, he was admitted to the bar in Ohio and his long career of office-holding began with eight years of service in Ohio as assemblyman, county prosecuting attorney, and state senator. No doubt influenced by his vigorous advocacy of the War of 1812 and by the strong recommendation of Cass, President Madison in 1814 appointed Woodbridge secretary of the Michigan Territory and collector of customs at Detroit (confirmed, October 5, 1814). Woodbridge was an energetic official: largely because of his initiative, Congress in 1819 granted Michigan the right to representation by delegate even though it continued in the first stage of organization prescribed by the Ordinance of 1787. Chosen Michigan's first territorial delegate, Woodbridge was an ardent and effective advocate of the confirmation of old land titles, of government roads and exploratory expeditions, of Michigan's claims in the boundary dispute with Ohio. He declined to serve a second term as delegate, but continued in the secretaryship until Michigan entered the second stage of territorial government in 1824. Except for a four-year term as territorial judge (1828 - 1832), he held no office during the next ten years. The movement for statehood prompted his return to the public scene. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1835 and a state senator in 1838 - 1839. The exuberance of the first state administration and the effects of the panic of 1837 brought a widespread demand for a change from Democratic control; in 1839 Woodbridge, now the recognized Whig leader of the state, received his party's nomination for governor on a platform of "Woodbridge and Reform, " and won the election. The new governor's messages to the legislature reveal a comprehensive program of rehabilitation of the state, including revision of taxes, stricter banking and currency regulation, drastic retrenchment in plans for internal improvements. He pushed vigorously the claims of the young state against the federal government in matters of public domain, land grants, appropriations for internal improvements. Expressing his program in terms of general policy rather than in a prescription of specific remedies, Woodbridge appears more the special advocate pleading constitutional principles than the practical administrator; yet during his fourteen months as governor, appreciable progress was made in his program. In February 1841 a faction of Whigs in the legislature, dissatisfied with the caucus nominee for United States senator, enlisted the aid of the Democrats and elected Woodbridge. Woodbridge's career in the Senate (March 1841 - March 1847) was not undistinguished. His reports as chairman of the committee on public lands were praised by leading statesmen of both parties; he sponsored several successful measures for internal improvements; and, according to Webster, he suggested an important provision in the Webster-Ashburton treaty.
He chose not to stand for reelection. The remaining years of his life were spent in retirement on his farm on the outskirts of Detroit. He died on October 20, 1861, in Detroit, Michigan.
United States Senator from Michigan, 2nd Governor of Michigan, Delegate to the U. S. House of Representatives from Michigan Territory's at-large congressional district, 3rd Secretary of Michigan Territory