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Henry Wilson(bornJeremiahJones Colbath; February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875) was the 18thvice presidentof the United States(1873–75) and asenatorfromMassachusetts(1855–73). Before and during theAmerican Civil War, he wasa leadingRepublican, and a strong opponent ofslavery. Wilsondevoted his energies to the destruction of the "Slave Power" – the faction of slave owners and theirpolitical allies which anti-slavery Americans saw as dominating the country. OriginallyaWhig, Wilson was a founderof theFree Soil Partyin1848. He served as the party chairman before and during the 1852 presidentialelection. Wilson worked diligently to build an anti-slavery coalition, whichcame to include the Free Soil Party, anti-slaveryDemocrats, NewYorkBarnburners, theLibertyParty, anti-slavery members of theNative American Party(Know Nothings), and anti-slaveryWhigs (calledConscience Whigs). Whenthe Free Soil party dissolved in the mid-1850s, Wilson joined theRepublican Party,which he helped found, and which was organized largely in line with theanti-slavery coalition he had nurtured in the 1840s and 1850s. While a Senatorduring theCivil War, Wilson wasconsidered a "Radical Republican",and his experience as a militia general, organizer and commander of aUnion Armyregiment, and chairman of the Senate militarycommittees enabled him to assist theAbraham Lincolnadministration in the organization andoversight of the Union Army andUnion Navy. Wilson successfully authored bills that outlawedslavery in Washington, D.C., and incorporatedAfrican Americansin the Union Civil War effort in 1862. Afterthe Civil War, he supported the Radical Republican program forReconstruction.In 1872, Wilson was elected Vice President as the running mate ofUlysses S. Grant, the incumbentPresident of the UnitedStates, who was running for a second term. The Grant and Wilsonticket was successful, and Wilson served as Vice President from March 4, 1873,until his death on November 22, 1875. Wilsons effectiveness as Vice Presidentwas limited after he suffered a debilitating stroke in May 1873, and his healthcontinued to decline until he was the victim of a fatal stroke while working intheUnited States Capitolinlate 1875. Throughout his career, Wilson was known for championing causes thatwere at times unpopular, including workers rights for both blacks and whitesand the abolition of slavery. Massachusetts politicianGeorge F. Hoar, who servedin theUnitedStates House of Representativeswhile Wilson was a Senator, andlater served in the Senate himself, believed Wilson to be the most skilledpolitical organizer in the country. However, Wilsons reputation for personalintegrity and principled politics was somewhat damaged late in his Senatecareer by his involvement in theCrédit Mobilier scandal.