SLIDELL, JOHN. 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 



697 



received the honorary degree of D. D. from 

 Williams College in 1826, and that of LL. D. 

 from Marietta College, Ohio, in 1855. 



SLIDELL, JOHN, a political leader, diplo- 

 matist, and former U. S. Senator, born in New 

 York City, probably in 1793 ; died in London, 

 Eng., July 29, 1871. He received a good edu- 

 cation in the schools of his native city, gradu- 

 ated from Columbia College in 1810, and sub- 

 sequently studied law and was admitted to the 

 bar. He did not, however, immediately enter 

 upon the practice of his profession, but engaged 

 in mercantile business from 1817 to 1820. Being 

 unsuccessful in this, and having become in- 

 volved in some difficulties of a personal nature 

 from his associations, Mr. Slidell left New York, 

 and, after travelling for some time in Europe, 

 settled in New Orleans, became somewhat 

 distinguished as a lawyer, and took an active 

 part in State and national politics. He was 

 appointed U. S. District Attorney, in 1829, by 

 President Jackson, and retained the office till 

 1833. He was several times a member of the 

 Louisiana Legislature, and in 1843 was elected 

 to Congress. In 1844 he was very zealous in 

 his labors for the election of President Polk, 

 and his connection with the Plaquemine frauds, 

 which carried Louisiana for his favorite can- 

 didate, was made as a personal charge against 

 him. In 1845 he was appointed by Mr. Polk 

 minister to Mexico, but his mission proved 

 fruitless. In 1853 he was elected to the United 

 States Senate to fill out the unexpired term of 

 Hon. Pierre Soule", and at its expiration was 

 reflected. During his service in the Senate, 

 he was known as an earnest advocate of the 

 "manifest destiny" theory, as the most zeal- 

 ous and at the same time the most skilful of 

 the ultra pro-slavery and disunion leaders; 

 and by his great influence with Mr. Buchanan, 

 and his constant intercourse with the restless 

 spirits of the South, he did more to bring about 

 secession than any other Southern man in Con- 

 gress or out of it. He withdrew from the 

 Senate February 4, 1861, and immediately 

 undertook the work of organizing the Confed- 

 eracy. In the autumn of 1861 he and Mr. Ma- 

 oon (see MASON, J. M., in this volume) were 

 sent as commissioners to Europe, to obtain a 

 recognition of the so-called Confederacy. They 

 were captured by Captain Wilkes, on the Brit- 

 ish mail-steamer Trent, and brought into Bos- 

 ton, but were subsequently released, and Mr. 

 Slidell proceeded to Paris on his mission ; but, 

 though he used all his skill, he could not bring 

 Napoleon III. up to the mark of taking any 

 active measures in favor of the Confederates. 

 In other matters he was more successful. His 

 daughter married the French banker Erlanger, 

 and through him he succeeded in securing 

 some financial aid for the Confederates, and 

 the construction of one or two armed rams, 

 which, however, were not of much service. 

 After the war he sank into obscurity, but re- 

 mained in Europe till his death. 



SOUTH CAROLINA. The Legislature was 



in session at the beginning of the year, and 

 finally adjourned early in March. One of its 

 most important acts was the passage of a bill 

 creating a debt to be known as the sterling 

 funded debt, to be exclusively used in exchange 

 for, or in payment of, the existing public debt 

 of the State. It authorizes the Governor to bor- 

 row, on the credit of the State, a sum not ex- 

 ceeding 1,200,000 pounds sterling, such debt to 

 be represented by coupon bonds, issued in 

 sums of not less than one hundred pounds 

 sterling, to bear six pounds per cent, per an- 

 num interest, in gold, payable semi-annually, 

 the principal and interest thereof payable in 

 London (England), and the former redeemable 

 and payable within twenty years, in gold-coin. 

 It creates a financial agency through which 

 these bonds shall be negotiated ; provides for 

 the levying of an annual tax, in addition to all 

 other taxes, upon all the taxable property 

 within the State, sufficient to pay the interest 

 on this debt, which shall be forwarded to the 

 London agent, and a further similar tax suffi- 

 cient to provide for a sinking-fund of two per 

 cent, in gold, per annum, on the full amount 

 of the debt, which shall also be remitted to the 

 said financial agent in London, to be applied 

 to the redemption and payment of two per 

 cent, of the principal at par. The bonds 

 thus to be paid shall be annually drawn, by 

 lot, at such time and place, and under such 

 regulations, as the Governor and the financial 

 agent may determine, and on all such draw- 

 ings the American minister in England, or the 

 secretary of the American legation in London, 

 or the American consul at London, shall be 

 invited to be present, and to certify to such 

 drawings. Other important provisions are as 

 follows : 



The faith, credit, and funds of the State of South 

 Carolina are solemnly and irrevocably pledged for 

 the punctual payment of the principal and inter- 

 est of the debt, and for the annual redemption of 

 that portion thereof for which a sinking-fund is au- 

 thorized ; and the issue by the Governor of any of 

 the bonds authorized shall be conclusive evidence, in 

 favor of any lona-fide holder thereof, that the pro- 

 visions of the act have been fully complied with by 

 the State officers, and that such bonds are legally 

 and properly created. 



The honor and credit of the State are also pledged 

 to the holder of the debt authorized by this act, that 

 the State will not hereafter, by itself, officers, or 

 agents, until said debt is fully paid and discharged, 

 create any new debt or obligation, or by the loan 01 

 its credit, by guarantee, indorsement ? or otherwise, 

 excepting for the purpose of meeting its obligations, 

 or in and for the ordinary and current business of the 

 State, without first submitting the question as to the 

 creation of any such new debt, guarantee, indorse- 

 ment, or loan of its credit to the people of the State, at 

 a general State election ; and, unless two-thirds of the 

 qualified voters of the State voting on this question 

 snail be in favor of a further debt, guarantee, indorse- 

 ment, or loan of its credit, none such shall be created 

 or made. 



A resolution was passed, directing the State 

 Auditor to levy a tax not to exceed seven mills 

 on a dollar, on all the taxable property in the 

 State, to meet appropriations for the year, 



