James Madison Porter

James Madison Porter (January 6, 1793 – November 11, 1862) was an American politician who served as the 18th United States Secretary of War and a founder of Lafayette College.

Porter began his career studying law in 1809 and later became a clerk in the prothonotary's office in an effort to manage a volunteer militia company at Fort Mifflin. Porter was admitted to the bar in 1813 and later appointed to attorney general for Northampton County, Pennsylvania. He was a professor of jurisprudence and political economy at Lafayette College (1837-1852), a judge of the twelfth judicial district (1839), ad interim U.S. Secretary of War under President John Tyler (1843), and was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1849.

Early life and education

James Madison Porter was born on January 6, 1793, in Norristown, Pennsylvania at his father's estate known as Selma. He was the son of General Andrew Porter and Elizabeth Parker Porter, and was the youngest of thirteen children. James and his older brother, Judge Robert Porter, were home schooled during their early years and later attended Norristown Academy to continue their adolescent education.

Career

Military service

Porter began his military career in 1809 as an office clerk at the request of his father, who served as the Surveyor General of Pennsylvania at the time. His time spent as an office clerk proved to be beneficial in allowing him to acquire the knowledge that would lead him to enter the law office of John Passmore, Esquire. Porter was settled in Philadelphia in 1813 when rumors spread across the city that the British were coming during the War of 1812. Porter took matters into his own hands and organized militia units along the Delaware River. Although the British never arrived, the people of Philadelphia applauded his efforts. However, Porter served in the Cabinet only eleven months because the Senate did not confirm his nomination. This arose due to President Tyler's troubled relationship with the Senate in previous years. President Tyler had offended the Whigs with his independent nomination and upon hearing of the Senate's action, Porter immediately resigned his commission and returned to Easton. Moreover, although he was up for reelection in 1856 when the company was moving to Philadelphia, he chose to decline the offer. Porter was also the president of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad company, which is now part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Easton Delaware Bridge Company. By the 1830s, the company had expanded its reach and was renamed the Pennsylvania Slate Company. Additionally, Porter had similar investments in limestone quarries, coal mines, and a few mines involving the extraction of iron ore. Furthermore, Porter was involved in two commercial endeavors. He founded the savings bank known as the Dime Savings Institute of Easton that flourished for a few years until it was incorporated into a larger regional bank, and he was an originator of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Institute of Easton that was designed to advance the agricultural and mechanical arts.

Political career

Porter came to Easton in 1818 to serve as the deputy attorney general for Northampton County. He was very involved in handling the civil and murder cases of the community. He maintained a political viewpoint that was conservative to moderate. In 1839, his brother David Rittenhouse Porter was elected governor for the Democratic ballot. In the same year, David appointed James as President Judge for the state district of Dauphin, Schuylkill and Lebanon counties. A recess appointment to the office of Secretary of War, Porter was never confirmed by the Senate, receiving only three favorable votes. After serving in Washington, D.C. under President Tyler for eleven months as Secretary of War, Porter was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1849. However, Porter left the legislature after only one year. From 1853 to 1855, he served as President Judge of the twenty-second judicial district that included Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties. Porter's political career came to end when he was asked to retire at age 63 due to health concerns.

Founding of Lafayette College

thumb|A copy of the original charter of Lafayette College

The borough (now city) of Easton in the mid-1700s and early 1800s did not see much success in building a sound educational system. Easton built its first school in 1755, and though seeing some classes of students graduate, the school closed in 1798. In 1784, there was a desire to build an academy for young students called the Easton Union Academy. Though it was chartered in 1794 by the trustees of the Union Academy, the school was unable to grow. The academy struggled with infrastructural upkeep and maintaining a cohort of teachers willing to provide instruction to students. In 1824, the academy closed and the School Board of Easton took over the property.

General Lafayette's visit to America in 1824-1825 inspired the citizens of Easton. A group of 200 citizens traveled to Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 22 to meet Lafayette. Porter engaged in a positive exchange with Lafayette about Porter's family legacy and stories of war. Enlightened, Porter traveled to Norwich University and Dartmouth College, where he first got the idea to establish a college in Easton. Despite previous efforts to establish educational institutions in the borough, Porter advocated Easton's ability to sustain a college, saying that, "Easton was 'rich and flourishing' in men, in location, in resources, and in prospects. There was every reason to believe that a college established by the 'combined efforts of its citizens' would succeed."

The newspaper, The Centinal, printed an advertisement calling for Easton citizens to attend a meeting on December 27, 1824, at the Easton Hotel to discuss the potential for building a college. At the meeting, led by Porter, the assembly discussed the ability for a college to thrive in Easton, saying that, "It was emphasized that the academy, which had undertaken only secondary education, had failed because it was dependent purely on local patronage and was subject to all the whims and prejudices of the neighborhood, whereas an institution of higher learning would attract students from a wide area and would therefore be independent of these local factors". Porter emphasized the importance of teaching military science to prepare young men for war and inspire leadership. He also stressed the importance of teaching the German language because of the heritage of the majority of the population in Easton. Soon after, Porter, along with assembly members Joel Jones and Jacob Wagener, drafted a charter for the college to be sent for legislative approval.

On December 6, 1825, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives met to review the proposed charter. The charter was referred to the Committee on Education as Bill Number 12, who intensely debated the bill. After much deliberation, the bill was passed by the House one month later on January 6, 1826, with three provisions made that limited the power of the college, allowed those practicing any religion to be associated with the college, and allowed legislature to revoke the charter if deemed necessary. The bill was proposed to the Pennsylvania Senate on January 16, 1826, and again faced opposition. Some senators opposed the teaching of military science, believing it would inspire a war-like attitude in the students. After two months of discussion, the charter was approved by the Senate on March 7, 1829. Two days later, Governor of Pennsylvania J. Andrew Shulze approved the charter, and Lafayette College came into legal existence.

Several men joined Porter in his efforts to establish a college in Easton, including:

Samuel Sitgreaves, a lawyer who served as a member of the Fourth and Fifth Congresses
Colonel Thomas McKeen, a commissioned colonel of the Pennsylvania State Militia
Joel Jones, the 141st mayor of Philadelphia and the first president of Girard College
Colonel Christian Jacob Hutter, the founder of The Centinal and several other publications in Easton
Thomas J. Rogers, a writer and Pennsylvania state senator who established The Northampton Farmer and Easton Weekly Advertiser

These men joined Porter in Easton and on his journey to Philadelphia to meet General Lafayette. Other men involved in the process were Jacob Wagener, Jacob Weygandt, Jr., William Shouse, Philip Mixsell, John Bowes, Peter Miller, Philip H. Mattes, John Carey, John R. Lattimore, Peter S. Michler, and Joseph K. Smith.

Speeches and addresses

1837 speech to Convention of Pennsylvania on Right to Annul Charters of Incorporation

Porter delivered this speech on November 20, 1837, in Philadelphia. who had originally offered a proposal stating that the state tax on real and personal property was to be repealed, as well as to charter a state bank to be named, "The United States Bank." He continued by stating that Mr. Doran's plan was not called up for second reading and consideration until the 18th day of November, 1837. Through the action of McCahen of Philadelphia County, the plan was passed with a vote of 53 to 50. Although Mr. Doran's plan was enacted, several other plans were proposed prior to Porter's speech. Porter moved forward in his speech by stating that he disagrees with a previous proposal given by a certain, "Mr. Meredith." Meredith had proposed the following options:

1)"That it is the sense of this convention that contracts made on the faith of the Commonwealth are, and of right ought to be, inviolable."

2)"That it is the sense of this Convention that a charter duly granted by an act of Assembly is, when accepted, a contract with the parties to whom the grant is made."

Porter continued with his address by stating that ignorant and uneducated individuals can never be "free" He began his address with a philosophical overtone, describing the rational faculties of man. Porter stated that man is only able to conceive of rational thought from existing rational thought; the same holds true for perceptions of objects. Porter then expressed his discontent towards the mental ability of man, stating, "... without the aid of divine revelation, how utterly incapable is the mind of man, much we boast of its powers ..."

References

External links

americanpresident.org Archived biography At AmericanPresident.org