John Hugh Means

John Hugh Means ( born August 18, 1812 Fairfield District, South Carolina; † August 29, 1862 in Manassas, Virginia ) was an American politician and from 1850 to 1852 Governor of South Carolina.

Early years

John Means attended the Mount Zion College in Winnsboro, and then until 1832 the South Carolina College, later the University of South Carolina. He then worked as a planter. He was a follower of the radical forces in South Carolina, who advocated more rights of the individual states to the federal government.

Governor of South Carolina

Because of his political views, he was in 1850 elected as the new governor. In this time of contrast overshadowed between the northern and southern states of the USA, all other events throughout the United States. South Carolina was the spokesman of the South. Although the question of the expansion of slavery had been solved in the new, acquired from Mexico areas with the Compromise of 1850, new tensions were already on in Means tenure. In 1851, a Convention decided in South Carolina to withdraw from the Union because the country patronized felt from the northern states and was not willing to make in the hotly debated issue of slavery compromises with the North, let alone abolish this institution. A referendum in the same year, however, rejected this decision again. Thus, they wanted only to escape from the Union, if the other southern states would join this step. The other states decided at that time but a majority for remaining in the Union. South Carolina then joined that majority. Governor Means was for secession. He increased the budget of the National Guard to prepare for a possible war with the North.

Further CV

John Means term ended on December 1, 1852. Since the Constitution did not allow two contiguous tenures, he was not allowed to be re-elected immediately. As a result, he remained true to his political principles. In December 1860 he was a member of Congress, which decided to exit South Carolina from the Union. Means had the crucial document, called the " Ordinance of Secession" co-signed. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he introduced himself as Colonel ( Colonel) at the head of an infantry regiment from South Carolina. This regiment was under the command of the Confederacy and fought in Virginia. During the second battle of Bull Run Colonel Means was mortally wounded. He was married to Sara Rebecca Stark, the couple had two children.