Julius C. Burrows
Encyclopedia
Julius Caesar Burrows was a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from the state
of Michigan
.
and moved then with his parents to Ashtabula County, Ohio
. He attended district school, Kingsville Academy
, and Grand River Institute
in Austinburg, Ohio
. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
at Jefferson, Ohio
in 1859. He moved to Richland, Michigan
in 1860. He was principal of the Richland Seminary and commenced the practice of law in nearby Kalamazoo
in 1861.
and served as its captain until the fall of 1863. He was elected circuit court commissioner in 1864 and was prosecuting attorney for Kalamazoo County
1866-1870. He declined appointment as supervisor of internal revenue for Michigan and Wisconsin in 1868.
to the U.S. House of Representatives
for the 43rd Congress
, serving from March 4, 1873 to March 4, 1875. He was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Navy.
Burrows was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874, but was subsequently elected to the 46th
and 47th Congresses
, serving from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1883. He was chairman of the Committee on Territories
in the 47th Congress.
Burrows is sometimes cited as a contributing factor in why New Mexico
was delayed in achieving statehood. In an 1876 debate, Burrows, an admired orator, spoke forcefully in favor of a bill intended to protect the civil rights of freed black slaves. Stephen B. Elkins, the New Mexico Territory
Delegate to Congress arrived late, just as Burrows was finishing. Unaware of the full import of Burrows speech, Elkins shook his colleague's hand in congratulations, a gesture that many southern congressmen interpreted as support for the civil rights legislation. As a result, Elkin's handshake with Burrows is blamed for costing New Mexico the votes of several southern votes needed to achieve statehood. While Colorado achieved statehood in 1876, New Mexico remained a territory for another 36 years.
Burrows was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. He won re-election in 1884 to the 49th Congress
, and subsequently to the five succeeding Congresses. He represented Michigan's 4th district from March 4, 1885 until March 4, 1893 and the 3rd district
from March 4, 1893 until his resignation on January 23, 1895, having been elected U.S. Senator. He was chairman of the Committee on Levees and Improvements of Mississippi River in the 51st Congress
.
Burrows was elected as a Republican
to the United States Senate
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Francis B. Stockbridge
and was reelected in 1899 and 1905, serving from January 24, 1895 to March 4, 1911.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910. He was chairman of the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States in the 54th
through 56th Congresses
and of the Committee on Privileges and Elections
in the 57th
through 61st Congresses
. He also served on the Lodge Committee which investigated war crimes in the Philippine-American War
. He was on the imperialist faction led by Henry Cabot Lodge
in support of the Philippine-American War
. He was also a member of the National Monetary Commission
and its vice chairman 1908-1912.
After this, Burrows retired from active business pursuits and political life. He died in Kalamazoo and is interred in Mountain Home Cemetery there.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Early life and education
Burrows was born in North East, PennsylvaniaNorth East, Pennsylvania
North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Erie. Fruit growing was an early economic endeavor, and is still to this day, as this is a popular area for especially cherries and grapes. There is an annual Cherry Festival in the summer and an annual in the fall. It contains...
and moved then with his parents to Ashtabula County, Ohio
Ashtabula County, Ohio
Ashtabula County is the northeasternmost county in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 101,497, its county seat is Jefferson. The county is named for a Native American word meaning "river of many fish"....
. He attended district school, Kingsville Academy
Kingsville Academy
Kingsville Academy was a school which was chartered in Kingsville, Ohio in 1834. Its building was constructed in 1836. In its 37-year history, the institution educated about 5,000 students. With the rise of the public high school, enrollment dwindled and, ultimately lead to the Academy's...
, and Grand River Institute
Grand River Academy
Grand River Academy, formerly known as the Ashtabula County Institute of Science and Industry and then the Grand River Institute, is a private, nonsectarian, boarding high school for boys located in Austinburg, Ohio...
in Austinburg, Ohio
Austinburg, Ohio
Austinburg is a census-designated place in northern Austinburg Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44010. It lies at the intersection of State Routes 45 and 307....
. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
at Jefferson, Ohio
Jefferson, Ohio
Jefferson is a village in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,572 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashtabula County. Modern-day Jefferson sports the world's only perambulator museum and a historical complex including several restored 18th century buildings....
in 1859. He moved to Richland, Michigan
Richland, Michigan
Richland is a village in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 791 at the 2010 census.The village is within Richland Township about nine miles northeast of Kalamazoo.-Geography:...
in 1860. He was principal of the Richland Seminary and commenced the practice of law in nearby Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
in 1861.
Military and legal careers
Burrows raised an infantry company in 1862 to fight in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and served as its captain until the fall of 1863. He was elected circuit court commissioner in 1864 and was prosecuting attorney for Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
-Air Service:*The Kalamazoo & Battle Creek Metro Area is served by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.-Interstates:* I-94* I-94 Business Loop-US highways:* US-131* BUS US 131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-43* M-89* M-96...
1866-1870. He declined appointment as supervisor of internal revenue for Michigan and Wisconsin in 1868.
Political life
In 1872, Burrows was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 4th congressional districtMichigan's 4th congressional district
Michigan's 4th congressional district is a United States Congressional district that currently includes portions of Northern and Central Michigan, consisting of all of...
to the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 43rd Congress
43rd United States Congress
The Forty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1873 to March 4, 1875, during the fifth and sixth...
, serving from March 4, 1873 to March 4, 1875. He was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Navy.
Burrows was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874, but was subsequently elected to the 46th
46th United States Congress
The Forty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
and 47th Congresses
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
, serving from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1883. He was chairman of the Committee on Territories
United States House Committee on Territories
The United States House Committee on Territories was a committee of the United States House of Representatives from 1825 to 1946 . Its jurisdiction was reporting on a variety to topics related to the territories, including legislation concerning them, and their admission as new states....
in the 47th Congress.
Burrows is sometimes cited as a contributing factor in why New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
was delayed in achieving statehood. In an 1876 debate, Burrows, an admired orator, spoke forcefully in favor of a bill intended to protect the civil rights of freed black slaves. Stephen B. Elkins, the New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
Delegate to Congress arrived late, just as Burrows was finishing. Unaware of the full import of Burrows speech, Elkins shook his colleague's hand in congratulations, a gesture that many southern congressmen interpreted as support for the civil rights legislation. As a result, Elkin's handshake with Burrows is blamed for costing New Mexico the votes of several southern votes needed to achieve statehood. While Colorado achieved statehood in 1876, New Mexico remained a territory for another 36 years.
Burrows was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. He won re-election in 1884 to the 49th Congress
49th United States Congress
The Forty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1887, during the first two years...
, and subsequently to the five succeeding Congresses. He represented Michigan's 4th district from March 4, 1885 until March 4, 1893 and the 3rd district
Michigan's 3rd congressional district
Michigan's 3rd congressional district is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. It consists of the counties of Barry, Ionia, and all except the northwest portion of Kent. The district is currently represented by Republican Justin Amash, the second youngest member of the house...
from March 4, 1893 until his resignation on January 23, 1895, having been elected U.S. Senator. He was chairman of the Committee on Levees and Improvements of Mississippi River in the 51st Congress
51st United States Congress
The Fifty-first United States Congress, referred to by some critics as the Billion Dollar Congress, was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C...
.
Burrows was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Francis B. Stockbridge
Francis B. Stockbridge
Francis Brown Stockbridge was a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.Stockbridge was born in Bath, Maine and attended the common schools. He clerked at a wholesale house in Boston 1843-1847. He moved to Chicago and opened a lumber yard. He then moved to Saugatuck, Michigan in 1851 and engaged...
and was reelected in 1899 and 1905, serving from January 24, 1895 to March 4, 1911.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910. He was chairman of the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States in the 54th
54th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Adlai E. Stevenson * President pro tempore: William P. Frye - Majority leadership :* Republican Conference Chairman: John Sherman- Minority leadership :...
through 56th Congresses
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
and of the Committee on Privileges and Elections
United States Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections was a committee of the United States Senate. It was established March 10, 1871 and terminated January 2, 1947, when its functions were transferred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.-Chairmen:...
in the 57th
57th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:*Democratic: 151*Republican: 200 *Populist: 5*Silver : 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Theodore Roosevelt , until September 14, 1901, vacant thereafter....
through 61st Congresses
61st United States Congress
The Sixty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1911, during the first two years of...
. He also served on the Lodge Committee which investigated war crimes in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. He was on the imperialist faction led by Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot "Slim" Lodge was an American Republican Senator and historian from Massachusetts. He had the role of Senate Majority leader. He is best known for his positions on Meek policy, especially his battle with President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 over the Treaty of Versailles...
in support of the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. He was also a member of the National Monetary Commission
National Monetary Commission
National Monetary Commission was a study group created by the Aldrich Vreeland Act of 1908. After the Panic of 1907 American bankers turned to Europe for ideas on how to operate a central bank. Senator Nelson Aldrich, Republican leader of the Senate, personally led a team of experts to major...
and its vice chairman 1908-1912.
After this, Burrows retired from active business pursuits and political life. He died in Kalamazoo and is interred in Mountain Home Cemetery there.