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George S. Houston
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George S. Houston
George Smith Houston (January 17, 1811 – December 31, 1879) was an American Democratic politician who was the 24th governor of Alabama from 1874 to 1878. He was also a congressman and senator for Alabama.
Houston was born near Franklin, Tennessee, on January 17, 1811, to David Ross Houston and Hannah Pugh Reagan. The paternal grandson of Scots-Irish immigrants, Houston and his family moved near Florence, Alabama, at age 16. There, Houston worked on the family farm and read law at Judge George Coalter's office. He eventually studied law at a school in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
After graduating law school, Houston returned to Florence and was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1831 as a Jacksonian Democrat, representing Lauderdale County. In 1834, Governor John Gayle appointed Houston to be district solicitor, but he was defeated in the subsequent election to that office. He then moved to Limestone County and continued to practice law. In 1837, Houston was elected in his own right to be a solicitor and held that office until 1841.
In 1840, Houston was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. During his tenure, he chaired the House Military Affairs Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee.
As a Southern Unionist, Houston was one of only four southern Democrats not to sign Senator John C. Calhoun's "Address of the Southern Delegates in Congress to their Constituents" in 1849, which questioned the federal government's right to limit slavery in territories won in the Mexican–American War. Opposition to the congressman grew, and he didn't seek re-election in 1848.
Houston ran for Congress again in 1850 and won. In December 1860, Houston was chosen to represent Alabama in the so-called "Committee of Thirty-Three". The Committee adopted the Corwin Amendment, which would have amended the United States Constitution so that Congress could never abolish slavery.
Following the American Civil War outbreak, Houston resigned from his office and returned home. Two of his sons fought for the Confederate States of America, but Houston himself stayed out of the war. In 1862, Houston's property was ransacked by U.S. Army General Ivan Turchin.
Houston presented his credentials as a senator-elect from Alabama during Reconstruction, but the Republican Party refused to seat him. Houston attended President Andrew Johnson's 1866 National Union Convention to oppose the Radical Republicans. Houston attempted to become a U.S. Senator again in 1867 but was defeated by former Governor John A. Winston. Like in the Civil War, Houston would play no part in Reconstruction in Alabama.
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George S. Houston
George Smith Houston (January 17, 1811 – December 31, 1879) was an American Democratic politician who was the 24th governor of Alabama from 1874 to 1878. He was also a congressman and senator for Alabama.
Houston was born near Franklin, Tennessee, on January 17, 1811, to David Ross Houston and Hannah Pugh Reagan. The paternal grandson of Scots-Irish immigrants, Houston and his family moved near Florence, Alabama, at age 16. There, Houston worked on the family farm and read law at Judge George Coalter's office. He eventually studied law at a school in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
After graduating law school, Houston returned to Florence and was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1831 as a Jacksonian Democrat, representing Lauderdale County. In 1834, Governor John Gayle appointed Houston to be district solicitor, but he was defeated in the subsequent election to that office. He then moved to Limestone County and continued to practice law. In 1837, Houston was elected in his own right to be a solicitor and held that office until 1841.
In 1840, Houston was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. During his tenure, he chaired the House Military Affairs Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee.
As a Southern Unionist, Houston was one of only four southern Democrats not to sign Senator John C. Calhoun's "Address of the Southern Delegates in Congress to their Constituents" in 1849, which questioned the federal government's right to limit slavery in territories won in the Mexican–American War. Opposition to the congressman grew, and he didn't seek re-election in 1848.
Houston ran for Congress again in 1850 and won. In December 1860, Houston was chosen to represent Alabama in the so-called "Committee of Thirty-Three". The Committee adopted the Corwin Amendment, which would have amended the United States Constitution so that Congress could never abolish slavery.
Following the American Civil War outbreak, Houston resigned from his office and returned home. Two of his sons fought for the Confederate States of America, but Houston himself stayed out of the war. In 1862, Houston's property was ransacked by U.S. Army General Ivan Turchin.
Houston presented his credentials as a senator-elect from Alabama during Reconstruction, but the Republican Party refused to seat him. Houston attended President Andrew Johnson's 1866 National Union Convention to oppose the Radical Republicans. Houston attempted to become a U.S. Senator again in 1867 but was defeated by former Governor John A. Winston. Like in the Civil War, Houston would play no part in Reconstruction in Alabama.
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