Joseph
Medill
was born in Saint John, Canada, on 6th April, 1823. He moved to the
United States and began working for newspapers in Ohio (1849-51) and
Cleveland (1851-55).
A founder member of the Republican Party,
Medill moved to Chicago where he joined
with Charles Ray to purchase the Chigago
Tribune
in 1855. A strong opponent of slavery, Medill supported Abraham
Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election.
A member of the group known as the Radical
Republicans, Medill strongly criticised Lincoln's decision to
appoint conservatives such as Simon Cameron
(Secretary of War), Gideon Welles (Secretary
of the Navy), Edward Bates (Attorney
General), and Montgomery Blair (Postmaster
General) to the Cabinet. He urged the formation of black
regiments and in one editorial Medill accused Lincoln of following
policies idesigned to "placate a few hundred Kentucky slave masters".
Medill failed to persuade Abraham Lincoln
to appoint Benjamin Butler as his Secretary
of War. However, he refused to support other Radical
Republicans who wanted John C. Fremont
or Salmon Chase as the Republican
Party candidate in the 1864 presidential election. Instead he
urged his readers to remain loyal to Lincoln's candidacy.
In November, 1871, Medill was elected mayor of Chicago.
While in power he helped establish the Chicago Public Library. Joseph
Medill died in San Antonio, Texas, on 16th March, 1899.
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