CASS.
CASSIDY.
of the people, and visited England, where he
%vitnessed the coronation of Queen Victoria. He
made a long voyage in the frigate Constitution
through the Mediterranean and adjacent seas,
and his impressions were afterwards published
in the Soittheni Literary Messenger, and are
evidences of his superior scholarship. In 1841
the quintuple treaty for the suppression of the
slave trade was negotiated by England, France,
Prussia, Russia and Austria. By the treaty the
contracting powers were authorized to detain
and search one another's vessels on reasonable
suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade.
Mr. Cass detected in this an aggressive movement
against the United States and immediately \mh-
lished a vigorous protest against the treaty, and
urged the French government against the ratifi-
cation. This action accomplished its purpose,
and was afterwards sanctioned by the home gov-
ernment. His position was that a suspected
vessel flying a foreign flag can be detained and
examined only at the detainer's peril. On the
ratification of the Ashburton treaty, without
any renunciation by England of the right of
search, Cass resigned as United State? minister,
and returned home in 1842, where he received
flattering addresses and banquets in Boston, New
York, Washington, and at every stage of his
journey to Detroit. At the Democratic national
convention of 1844, Mr. Cass, after leading the
various candidates in many ballots, was de-
feated for nomination to the presidency by James
K. Polk. In the canvass following, as well as in
his administration, Polk received the liearty sup-
port of Mr. Cass, who, on Feb. 4, 1845, was elected
United States senator from Michigan and given
the second place on the committee on foreign
afi'airs. In the great slavery controversy he
deprecated the introduction of the Wilmot pro-
viso as premature, and he formulated the com-
promise proposition that the internal concerns of
the territories should be regulated solely by their
inhabitants. At the Democratic national con-
vention of May, 1848, Senator Cass was nomin-
ated as candidate for President on the fourth
ballot, and at once resigned his seat in the sen-
ate. On the nation's choice falling on General
Taylor, who carried the election largely through
his personal popularity Avon in the Mexican war,
aided by the division in the old parties caused
by the defection of both Whigs and Democrats to
Van Buren, the legislature of Michigan re-elected
Mr. Cass to the senate to fill his own unexpired
terra. Here he disregarded the express instruc-
tions of his state, and throughout the 31st Con-
gress was the main ally of Henry Clay, favored
the doctrine of popular sovereignty and op-
posed the Wilmot proviso. He was present in
the senate when the fugitive slave law was
passed but declined to vote. He urged the
cessation of unnecessary agitation, and the im-
portance of harmony with so much force and
conviction that the legislature of Michigan finally
revoked its instructions, and re-elected him to
the senate in 1851 by an increased majority. In
1852 he was a prominent candidate before the
Democratic national convention for President,
when the nomination went to Franklin Pierce.
In 1854 the Michigan senators were instructed
to vote for the prohibition of slavery in the terri-
tories, and for the repeal of the fugitive law.
Cass again disregarded his instructions, and in
1857 Zachariah Chandler was elected senator
from Michigan, Cass receiving sixteen ovit of
one hundred and six legislative votes. Whea
James Buchanan became President, Mr. Cass
was made secretary of state. He opposed the
constitutional principle stated in President Bu-
chanan's message that a state could not be
coerced, and urged the further garrisoning of the
Federal forts in the south. Finding that the ad-
ministration differed with him, on Dec. 14, 1860,
he handed his resignation to the President. Two
years later, at Hillsdale, Mich. , he made his last
public address, calling for additional volunteers
for the suppression of the rebellion, and declar-
ing his ' ' love and reverence for our glorious con-
stitution." His last public act was to urge
President Lincoln and his cabinet by telegraph to
surrender Mason and Slidell. General Cass was
president of the American historical society, and
his published works include : Inquiries Con-
cerning ilie Histori/, Traditions and Langnages
of til e Indians living- witJiin the United States
(1823) ; France, its King, Court and Government
(1840). Schoolcraft wrote liis life in 1848. Young
in 1852. Smitli in 1856. and a memorial volume
was issued in 1866. He died in Detroit, Micb.,
June 17, 1866.
CASSERLY, Eugene, senator, was born in Ireland in 1823, and was brought by his parents to New York in 1827. He was graduated at Georgetown college, D. C, and for about five years was connected with the New York news- paper press. He was admitted to the bar in 1845, and was corporation attorney for tlie city during 1846 and 1847. Removing to California in 1850 he settled in San Francisco. During 1850-'51 he published a daily paper, and in 1851-'52 was state printer, at the same time con- tinuing to practise law. He was elected to the U. S. senate as a Democrat in 1869, and resigned Nov. 29, 1873, on account of ill-health. He died in San Francisco, Cal., June 14, 1883.
CASSIDY , William, jovirnalist, was born in Albany, N. Y., Aug. 12. 1815: son of John Cassidy. He was prepared for college at Albany academy, and was graduated at Union college in 1834. A
