Gabriel Slaughter

Gabriel Slaughter ( born December 12, 1767 Culpeper County, Virginia; † September 19, 1830 in Mercer County, Kentucky ) was an American politician ( Democratic- Republican) and Governor of the State of Kentucky.

Early years and career

Early on, Gabriel Slaughter came with his parents in the present-day Kentucky, which was then still part of Virginia. He was teaching at the local schools and then worked as a farmer. In 1795 he was appointed by Governor Isaac Shelby justice of the peace in Mercer County, in 1803, began his military career as a lieutenant colonel in the militia of Kentucky. His military career culminated with the Battle of New Orleans beginning in 1815, where he distinguished himself by his devotion and bravery. His political career began in 1797 when he was elected to the House of Representatives from Kentucky. There he remained three years; then he was elected to the State Senate, where he served until 1808. In the gubernatorial election of 1808 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, which he was the next four years deputy governor Charles Scott.

Governor of Kentucky

In the gubernatorial election in 1812 Richard Hickman was lieutenant governor, while Slaughter was again four years later to assume the office of the election. Governor George Madison, however, was already seriously ill at the time of the election from tuberculosis and died just five weeks after his inauguration in October 1816. Slaughter Thus fell the post of governor to. Initially there was some internal debates about the legal situation. Because for the first time a governor who died in office with Madison, the question of whether one immediately call an election and the Lieutenant Governor should only bridge the time until then, or whether the lieutenant governor ended the remaining term Madison rose. Finally they decided on the second option, which is also practiced at the federal level between the President and Vice President. Right at the beginning of his tenure, he made ​​the mistake to dismiss the appointed yet of popular Madison Secretary of State Charles Stewart Todd and appoint in his place the extremely unpopular former Senator John Pope. This and a few other personnel changes detracted from its popularity among the population. Added to this was in 1819 still in an economic crisis. On the other hand Slaughter promoted the development of infrastructure and education in Kentucky.

Evening of life and death

Even after the end of his tenure Slaughter remained politically active. In 1823 he was again elected for a period in the House of Representatives from Kentucky. He then devoted himself to ecclesiastical duties. He died on September 19, 1830. Gabriel Slaughter was married three times and had five children.

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