massachusetts governor january april american lawyer businessman politician massachusetts spent years public service serving houses united_states congress non consecutive years governor massachusetts reputation personal integrity known honest john davis born massachusetts davis attended studying law worcester massachusetts established successful law practice spent years united_states house_of_representatives national republican later whig supported legislation won election governor massachusetts way race decided state legislature terms elected united_states senate served term resigning early elected governor second term governor split fellow whig variety issues lost election democrat reelected senate served opposed worked prevent extension slavery territories hard line matter voting provisions compromise retired public service died year early life born massachusetts attended local schools leicester academy attending graduated studied law worcester lawyer gaining admission bar years later elected member lawyer congressman davis practiced law massachusetts soon returned worcester eventually took blake practice briefly partnership appointed davis entered politics winning election united_states congress represented massachusetts house_of_representatives 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd supported successful bid presidency favored conservative fiscal policies keeping state worcester increasingly industrial character favored legislation speeches support widely reprinted opposed policies president politically aligned clay proposed compromise governor senator davis encouraged leaders run governor massachusetts president running anti ticket democrat political support came textile interests faction national republicans later led outgoing governor election davis gained votes majority required result state legislature decided election choosing davis adams withdrew preferring whig controlled legislature reward breaking chance parties form working relationship davis reelected aided general dislike massachusetts president jackson attacks terms davis particular initiatives continuing lincoln business friendly fiscal economic policies state continued grow economically expanding transportation infrastructure industry senator term ended decided run reelection davis approached whig leader running seat december bid oppose adams announced interest seat idea davis strong candidate positioned adams long standing rival running vote state legislature opportunity run governor davis vacated seat state house senate choices speech adams congress arguing favor jackson foreign policies alarmed senators change votes favor davis resolved february davis reelected governor resigned post assume senate seat went win governor seat election adams son believed achieve end support idea exchange advocacy behalf davis expected davis faction support future bid presidency davis term senate notably hard line took question nation northeastern boundary dispute united_kingdom concerned boundary maine british canadian province new_brunswick partially resolved jay treaty 1830s sides pushed development disputed area leading petty conflicts possibility war massachusetts maine prior maintained property interest disputed land davis took hard line matter insisting united_states surrender territory claimed davis sat special committee formed consider legislative responses flood allegedly abolitionist materials sent southern slave states northern anti slavery organizations davis committee opposed sort legislation committee unable reach consensus introduced legislation materials davis spoke pointing effectively act unconstitutional gag people seeking speak slavery bill rendered administrative actions serving senate davis appeared representing defendants charles river bridge toll bridge constructed boston defendants competing bridge state issued charter argued defendant charter charter claimed state granted exclusive right control crossing davis argued rights granted interpreted narrowly state granted exclusive right court found defendants chief justice decision echoing defendant reasoning charles river bridge charter acquired state davis term governor early years political career davis good terms highly influential party politics state national levels looked late 1830s davis notably came believe lacked broad based national support successfully contend weak showing whig convention introduced rift davis deepened split western land policies split davis permanent harshly criticized lawrence speech celebrating successful negotiation great_britain resolved matters northeast boundary governor senator long won gubernatorial election whig leadership prevailed davis run governor election davis rode harrison landslide presidential victory office harrison death april democrats attacked davis year election charged supported poor opposition western land policies speculated lands davis won narrow majority reelected period office like term governor contain new programs initiatives overshadowed ongoing negotiations secretary state lord boundary issue davis contentious disagreements negotiations finally able convince davis accept final agreement matter deepened division men stopped speaking anti slavery risen sufficient prominence state davis able secure majority state senate democratic majority elected davis showing election undoubtedly harmed ongoing feud refused campaign behalf davis considered potential vice presidential nominee whig party convention nominated state whig convention opposition worked ensure chosen national convention forces successfully got elected senate early despite opposition faction davis elected senate later fill vacancy caused death elected term opposed annexation texas grounds expand territory willing split party issue slavery davis senators voted davis opposed slavery extension territories voted provisions compromise including bill texas borders shocking anti compromise regularly voted favor measure ban slavery territories won mexican war frequently attached legislation late 1840s adopted notable debate davis procedural measures delay vote amendment remove military bill hoping force vote time conference differences house senate versions congress difference respective chambers house finished speaking bill wrote episode political lives spent best direction compensate half hour noted loss bill delayed end mexican war davis deserve country scholarship divided davis claimed strategy worked davis weak stance slavery began cause decrease popularity abolitionist sentiment state gained ground 1840s refused support presidential bid campaigning behalf declined election retired public life later years davis associated served president years died worcester april interred worcester rural cemetery known honest john davis reputation personal integrity personal life business davis nephew founders life insurance companies country davis served president death nephew took davis married daughter worcester minister sister historian statesman children including diplomat general congressman descendants include grandson cousin named honor served governor massachusetts
John Davis (Massachusetts governor)