april september american lawyer politician massachusetts whig served years united_states house_of_representatives served seven year terms 19th governor massachusetts raised rural upstate new york studied law western massachusetts civic involvement successful legal practice preceded statewide political activity elected congress supported conservative whig agenda serving regular advocate alcohol consumption nominated run democratic governor whig bid rural votes easily won election sought avoid contentious issue slavery protested south_carolina policy allowing imprisonment free african americans supported capital punishment notably refusing death sentence murder died accidental gunshot wound home massachusetts early life education born april eleventh children originally rhode_island descent parents moved family manchester vermont seven years later new_york household religious father baptist mother gave children religious instruction bible age second great awakening especially strong upstate new york experienced conversion experience joined baptist faith spoke revival meetings experience drawing applause crowds according hall came know time lifelong friend political associate faith informed personal behavior remained committed religious ideals instance congressional sessions stretched sunday alcohol consumption sporadically attended public schools years support older brothers embarked study law admitted massachusetts bar opened practice adams moved trial work characterized contemporary clear brief fond telling stories formal settings helped establish baptist church congregation met married children george henry called raise orphaned children brother brothers supported law studies died followed wife long afterward involvement civic life began local level register deeds northern district massachusetts elected town clerk appointed chairman board commissioners highways interest politics sparked acquaintance served united_states house_of_representatives criminal case tried brought wider notice indian living accused murder appointed court defend convinced evidence man innocent described contemporary plea model jury jury unfortunately disagreed convicted man hanged true murderer confessed commission crime despite rise prominence ineligible state offices property decided run congress requirement elected second fourth anti whig fifth seventh serving march march decided run reelection known later years cotton whig favor opposed expansion slavery western territories seek threaten unity nation strong stance slavery served serving time chairman committee regular recipient complaints southern states concerning transmission abolitionist seen matter controversy southern legislators sought types banned friend hall sat committee drafted report legislative proposals committee house refused accept report authorship report appears entirely hall contributed hall publication report major political journal document influential driving later congressional debate legislative proposals concerning abolitionist adopted hall instrumental drafting gaining passage included substantive accounting reforms wake financial time congress vocal advocate formed sitting executive committee convention new_york advocated taking total way bring people away alcohol notably prepared pledge kentucky representative floor house_of_representatives moves organize movement congress died left body cause continue rest life chosen president governor massachusetts nominated run governorship whig ticket incumbent democrat governor nominated refused nomination possibly promised party support future vice presidential bid apparently recommended compromise candidate acceptable different factions party controlled probably chosen appeal directly state rural voters constituency normally supported abolitionist fielded candidate result candidates won needed majority legislature decided election cases whig majority election assured reelected annually succession democratic opponents won popular election parties including successor involved reputation aristocratic bearing man people preceding whig governors alarmed recently enacted policy south_carolina authorizing imprisonment free blacks arriving massachusetts northern states sent representatives protest policy daughter elizabeth unsuccessful changing south_carolina policy protests perceived yankee interference southern affairs advised leave state safety capital punishment major issue debated state tenure social calling abolition personally favored capital punishment political reasons called use seeking example limit application murder cases involving degree murder murder case anti death penalty sentiment thought role seeking anti death penalty lobby proposed eliminating penalty crimes murder expressed concern sympathetic undermine connection crime punishment argument trial washington black accused killing rival affections lady case essentially jury district attorney punishment crimes violence convicted calls capital sentence refused writing pardon tend utter law long case came sensational trial professor murder crime took place november trial received nationwide coverage prosecution case based evidence complicated fact complete corpse found founded new types evidence forensic time trial furthermore chief justice widely criticized bias instructions gave jury petitioned sentence death penalty opponents threatened physical harm refused stating evidence case clear especially gave confession reason doubt court acted proper time governor abolitionist activists continued democrats primarily making common cause democrats dominant stance cotton whig opposition forces opposed federal demands states assist raising troops war earning wrath activist promote types reform supporting activities improve education state failed secure majority popular vote rise power whig legislature returned office election anger compromise series federal acts designed preserve unity nation included fugitive slave act prompted democrats free form coalition gain control massachusetts legislature divided lines gubernatorial election sent legislature democrat chosen later years resumed practice law member state constitutional convention sat judge nominated governor fading movement trailed far candidates appointed president abraham_lincoln diplomatic mission roughly present day colombia panama died position september getting closet home gun fell picking gun discharged shot died early morning september buried
George N. Briggs