Jurist; born in
Bethany, Pa., Jan. 20, 1814; began the practice of law in 1834; was member of Congress from 1845 to 1851; presiding judge of the 13th (
Pennsylvania) district from 1853 to 1861; and was in the United States Senate, to fill a vacancy, from 1861 to 1863.
He was temporary chairman of the committee of the convention at
Chicago that nominated
Mr. Lincoln for the Presidency.
In August, 1846, while a bill authorizing the
President of the
United States to expend $3,000,000 in negotiations for peace, with
Mexico, by purchase of territory, was pending in the House of Representatives,
Wilmot moved (Aug. 8) to add an amendment, “That, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory front the republic of
Mexico by the
United States, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory.”
This proviso was adopted by the
House, but it failed of final action.
It was the basis of the organization known as the
free-soil party (q. v.) in 1848, and of the Republican party in 1856.
He died in
Towanda, Pa., March 16, 1868.
