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{{short description|American politician}}
'''Benjamin Alden Bidlack''' (September 8, 1804 – February 6, 1849) was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] from [[Pennsylvania]].


{{Infobox officeholder
Benjamin Alden Bidlack was born in [[Paris, New York]]. He moved to [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], and attended the public schools. He graduated from the Wilkes-Barre Academy, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1825 and commenced practice in Wilkes-Barre. He was elected district attorney of [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania]], in 1825. He moved to [[Milford, Pennsylvania]], in 1830, and served as [[Pike County, Pennsylvania|Pike County]] treasurer in 1834. He returned to Wilkes-Barre, and was elected a member of the [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]] in 1835 and 1836. He was editor of the ''[[Republican Farmer]]'' and the ''[[Democratic Journal]]'' in Wilkes-Barre.
| name = Benjamin A. Bidlack
| birth_name = Benjamin Alden Bidlack
| image name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1804|09|08}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1849|02|06|1804|09|08}}
| birth_place = [[Paris, New York]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Bogota]], [[Republic of New Granada]]
| state = [[Pennsylvania]]
| constituency = [[Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district|15th district]] {{nowrap|(1841–1843)}}<br />[[Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district|11th district]] {{nowrap|(1843–1845)}}
| term_start = March 4, 1841
| term_end = March 3, 1845
| preceded = [[David Petrikin]]
| succeeded = [[Owen D. Leib]]
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
}}

'''Benjamin Alden Bidlack''' (September 8, 1804&nbsp;– February 6, 1849) was an American politician, diplomat, and attorney who served as a member of the US House of Representatives and was later appointed chargé d'affaires to [[Republic of New Granada|New Granada]]. While serving in New Granada he negotiated an agreement later known as the [[Mallarino–Bidlack Treaty]]. This treaty was the only instance in the nineteenth-century where the United States committed to defend the sovereignty of a Latin American state at the request of that state. The pact helped pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal.

== Early life and education ==
Bidlack was born in [[Paris, New York]], the son of Benjamin Bidlack, a pioneer farmer, and Lydia Alden Bidlack. When his family moved to [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], he completed his education at local public schools . After graduation, he studied law in the office of a local attorney, Garrick Mallery.<ref>Lach 2001</ref>

== Career ==
Shortly after admittance to the state bar in 1825, Bidlack was appointed deputy attorney of [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania]]. In 1829 he married Margaret Wallace. The couple had seven children. In 1830, he moved to [[Milford, Pennsylvania]] and entered the newspaper business. He began as publisher of the ''Republican Farmer''. He later sold his interest in the paper and started the ''Northern Eagle'', the first newspaper in [[Pike County, Pennsylvania]]. In 1834, he served as treasurer of Pike County.

Bidlack returned to Wilkes-Barre and was elected to the [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]] in 1835-1836. In 1840 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and re-elected in 1842. As a congressman, Bidlack became sympathetic to the case of [[Frances Slocum]], a white woman who had been abducted as a child and raised by the [[Miami people]]. Slocum was fully assimilated into the Native American culture and was accepted as one of its members. In 1845, Congress passed a joint resolution originally introduced by Bidlack that exempted Slocum and twenty-one of her Miami relatives from removal to Kansas Territory.<ref>Lach 2001</ref>

After Bidlack lost his bid for reelection in 1844, President [[James Polk]] appointed him chargé d'affaires to [[Republic of New Granada|New Granada]] on the recommendation of [[James Buchanan]], the new secretary of state. Bidlack was instructed to gather information about crossing routes on the [[Isthmus of Panama]] and prevent other nations from securing transit rights from New Granada. However, both Bidlack and New Granada were concerned by the aggressive intentions of the French and British in the region, so Bidlack exceeded his instructions by negotiating a treaty giving the US transit rights on the isthmus in exchange for a US guarantee of New Granada's sovereignty and neutrality. His counterpart in the negotiations was New Granada's commissioner [[Manuel María Mallarino]].<ref>Findling 1980</ref>

The treaty was the only instance in the nineteenth-century where the United States committed to defend the sovereignty of a Latin American state at the request of that state. President Polk was surprised by Bidlack's actions and initially opposed the treaty because of the commitment to defend New Granada. He later threw his support behind the measure which received final ratification by Congress on 10 June 1848. Eventually, the pact helped pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal.<ref>Findling 1980</ref>

He died in [[Bogotá, Colombia]] on February 6, 1849, aged 44. He was interred in the English Cemetery.

==References==
{{reflist}}


Bidlack was elected as a Democrat to the [[27th United States Congress|Twenty-seventh]] and [[28th United States Congress|Twenty-eighth]] Congresses. He was appointed Chargé d'Affaires to [[Colombia]] on May 14, 1845. He successfully negotiated a “treaty of peace, amity, and navigation” with Colombia and secured for the United States the right to build a canal or railroad across the [[Isthmus of Panama]]. He died in [[Bogotá, Colombia]] in 1849, aged 44. He was interred in the English Cemetery.
==Sources==
==Sources==
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Lach |first=Edward L. Jr. |encyclopedia=American National Biography |title=Bidlack, Benjamin Alden (1804-1849)|year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0300625 }}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Findling |first=John E. |encyclopedia=Dictionary of American Diplomatic History |title=Bidlack, Benjamin Alden (1804-1849)|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofamer00find/page/56/mode/2up |year=1980 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport, Conn. |page=56 |isbn=9780313220395 }}
*{{CongBio|B000445}}
*{{CongBio|B000445}}
*[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/biden-biged.html The Political Graveyard]
*[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/biden-biged.html The Political Graveyard]


{{start box}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{US House succession box
{{USRepSuccessionBox
| state=Pennsylvania
| state=Pennsylvania
| district=15
| district=15
| before=[[David Petrikin]]
| before=[[David Petrikin]]
| after=[[Henry Nes]]
| after=[[Henry Nes]]
| years=1841 - 1843
| years=1841–1843
}}
}}
{{US House succession box
{{USRepSuccessionBox
| state=Pennsylvania
| state=Pennsylvania
| district=11
| district=11
| before=[[James Gerry]]
| before=[[James Gerry]]
| after=[[Owen D. Leib]]
| after=[[Owen D. Leib]]
| years=1843 - 1845
| years=1843–1845
}}
}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-dip}}
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| before = [[William M. Blackford]]
| before = [[William M. Blackford]]
| after = [[Thomas M. Foote]]
| after = [[Thomas M. Foote]]
| years = 5 December 1845–6 February 1849
| years = 5 December 1845 – 6 February 1849
}}
}}
{{end}}
{{end}}
{{US Ambassadors to Colombia}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bidlack, Benjamin Alden}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bidlack, Benjamin A.}}
[[Category:1804 births]]
[[Category:1804 births]]
[[Category:1849 deaths]]
[[Category:1849 deaths]]
[[Category:American diplomats]]
[[Category:19th-century American diplomats]]
[[Category:People from Paris, New York]]
[[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People from Oneida County, New York]]
[[Category:Politicians from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:19th-century American legislators]]


{{Pennsylvania-Representative-stub}}

Latest revision as of 01:41, 23 January 2024

Benjamin A. Bidlack
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania
In office
March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1845
Preceded byDavid Petrikin
Succeeded byOwen D. Leib
Constituency15th district (1841–1843)
11th district (1843–1845)
Personal details
Born
Benjamin Alden Bidlack

(1804-09-08)September 8, 1804
Paris, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 6, 1849(1849-02-06) (aged 44)
Bogota, Republic of New Granada
Political partyDemocratic

Benjamin Alden Bidlack (September 8, 1804 – February 6, 1849) was an American politician, diplomat, and attorney who served as a member of the US House of Representatives and was later appointed chargé d'affaires to New Granada. While serving in New Granada he negotiated an agreement later known as the Mallarino–Bidlack Treaty. This treaty was the only instance in the nineteenth-century where the United States committed to defend the sovereignty of a Latin American state at the request of that state. The pact helped pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal.

Early life and education

[edit]

Bidlack was born in Paris, New York, the son of Benjamin Bidlack, a pioneer farmer, and Lydia Alden Bidlack. When his family moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he completed his education at local public schools . After graduation, he studied law in the office of a local attorney, Garrick Mallery.[1]

Career

[edit]

Shortly after admittance to the state bar in 1825, Bidlack was appointed deputy attorney of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. In 1829 he married Margaret Wallace. The couple had seven children. In 1830, he moved to Milford, Pennsylvania and entered the newspaper business. He began as publisher of the Republican Farmer. He later sold his interest in the paper and started the Northern Eagle, the first newspaper in Pike County, Pennsylvania. In 1834, he served as treasurer of Pike County.

Bidlack returned to Wilkes-Barre and was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1835-1836. In 1840 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and re-elected in 1842. As a congressman, Bidlack became sympathetic to the case of Frances Slocum, a white woman who had been abducted as a child and raised by the Miami people. Slocum was fully assimilated into the Native American culture and was accepted as one of its members. In 1845, Congress passed a joint resolution originally introduced by Bidlack that exempted Slocum and twenty-one of her Miami relatives from removal to Kansas Territory.[2]

After Bidlack lost his bid for reelection in 1844, President James Polk appointed him chargé d'affaires to New Granada on the recommendation of James Buchanan, the new secretary of state. Bidlack was instructed to gather information about crossing routes on the Isthmus of Panama and prevent other nations from securing transit rights from New Granada. However, both Bidlack and New Granada were concerned by the aggressive intentions of the French and British in the region, so Bidlack exceeded his instructions by negotiating a treaty giving the US transit rights on the isthmus in exchange for a US guarantee of New Granada's sovereignty and neutrality. His counterpart in the negotiations was New Granada's commissioner Manuel María Mallarino.[3]

The treaty was the only instance in the nineteenth-century where the United States committed to defend the sovereignty of a Latin American state at the request of that state. President Polk was surprised by Bidlack's actions and initially opposed the treaty because of the commitment to defend New Granada. He later threw his support behind the measure which received final ratification by Congress on 10 June 1848. Eventually, the pact helped pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal.[4]

He died in Bogotá, Colombia on February 6, 1849, aged 44. He was interred in the English Cemetery.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lach 2001
  2. ^ Lach 2001
  3. ^ Findling 1980
  4. ^ Findling 1980

Sources

[edit]
  • Lach, Edward L. Jr. (2001). "Bidlack, Benjamin Alden (1804-1849)". American National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0300625.
  • Findling, John E. (1980). "Bidlack, Benjamin Alden (1804-1849)". Dictionary of American Diplomatic History. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. p. 56. ISBN 9780313220395.
  • United States Congress. "Benjamin A. Bidlack (id: B000445)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • The Political Graveyard
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
1841–1843 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district
1843–1845 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Chargé d'Affaires, New Granada
5 December 1845 – 6 February 1849 		Succeeded by
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