James Campbell (Postmaster General)

James Campbell ( born September 1, 1812 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, † January 27, 1893 ) was an American politician from the state of Pennsylvania and Postmaster General of the United States during the term of President Franklin Pierce.

Career

James Campbell, son of Anthony Campbell, was born in 1812 in Philadelphia. His grandfather, George Campbell, originally came from Fintona in County Tyrone in Ireland. James attended a private school in Geraldus Stockdale, studied law with Robert D. Ingraham and was approved on 14 September 1833 as a lawyer. The next day, he was appointed commissioner of the district of Southwark and worked in this position until his appointment to the Board of Education ( board of education ). On April 16, 1840, he adopted the resolution with which the Girls' High School of Philadelphia was founded.

He was on the Board of Education until 1840 worked as appointed him Governor David Rittenhouse Porter judge of the Court of Common Pleas, guardianship court ( Orphans 's Court ) and the Court of Oyer and Terminer, a position he held until January 1, 1851 were randomly as the judicial offices in Pennsylvania.

Nominated for the post of judge at the Supreme Court, in a period when the know- Nothingismus and the anti-Catholic sentiments were widespread, he was beaten, although his four Democratic colleagues were elected. Governor William Bigler appointed him to the then Attorney General of Pennsylvania, an office which he held until March 4, 1853, when U.S. President Pierce caught up with him as postmaster general in his cabinet, where he remained until March 4, 1857. Campbell's cabinet use must be regarded as a concession to those wing of the Democrats who supported 1852 James Buchanan Presidential nomination. In addition, the nomination Campbell, who was a Catholic, Pierce helped make up ground in the Irish.

Campbell ran in 1861 against Charles R. Buckalew for the post in the U.S. Senate, but was defeated by one vote in the Pennsylvania legislature, at that time the senators elected. In 1873 he was elected to the Constitutional Convention of Pennsylvania, declined the post, however thanks for his bad health from.

For a period of 25 years he was the president of the Board of Trustees (Board of Trustees ) of the Jefferson Medical College, and Vice President of Saint Joseph's Orphan Asylum ( the oldest, founded in Roman Catholic home in the United States, hired in 1807. )

On 3 September 1869 he was appointed by the judges of the Philadelphia County to a member of the Board of City Trusts, who had under his care 42 City Trusts, including the Girard College and Wills ' Eye Hospital. He served until his death in this position.

Judge Campbell considered his obligations, whether as an officer or as a trustee, as a task of a higher order and a greater benefit to society. He was a straight and strong judge who looked at themselves as to manner and good, until the task was done. Even with all the troubles that surrounded him, he has always responded to the slightest calls for shelter from the poor and sick. He attended St. Joseph's daily Orphan Asylum, the Girard College, as well as the hospital, examined the conditions in detail and considered it so far to be safe when they referred to his own life or his own household.

Campbell died on January 27, 1893 in Philadelphia. Before his death he was still the last surviving member of Pierce's cabinet.