Outerbridge Horsey (senator)

This article is about the lawyer and politician from early nineteenth century Delaware, for others see Outerbridge Horsey.

Outerbridge Horsey, III (March 5, 1777 – June 9, 1842) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Attorney General of Delaware and as United States Senator from Delaware.

Outerbridge Horsey
United States Senator from Delaware
In office January 12, 1810 – March 3, 1821
Preceded by	Samuel White
Succeeded by	Caesar A. Rodney
4th Attorney General of Delaware
In office 1806–1810
Preceded by	Nicholas Van Dyke
Succeeded by	Thomas Clayton
Personal details
Born	(1777-03-05)March 5, 1777 Sussex County, Delaware
Died	Frederick County, Maryland
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Eliza Lee
Residence	Georgetown, Delaware Wilmington, Delaware
Profession	lawyer

Early life and family

Horsey was born in Little Creek Hundred, near Laurel, Delaware. First living in Georgetown, Delaware, he moved to Wilmington, and studied the law there under James A. Bayard, who remained his lifelong political mentor. A frequent supporter of education, Horsey, early in his career, urged the establishment of a library in Georgetown, and later was appointed a trustee of the College of Wilmington. He was admitted to the Delaware Bar in December 1807, and began a practice in Wilmington. He married Elizabeth Digges Lee, daughter of Thomas Sim Lee (1745-1819) of Maryland.

Professional and political career

While practicing the law and after representing Sussex County in the State House from the 1801 session through the 1803 session, Horsey was appointed to be the Delaware Attorney General and served from 1806 to 1810.

In 1810 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of U.S. Senator Samuel White. In the Senate he initially opposed the War of 1812 strongly, but once it had been declared, he supported it with equal vigor. He accordingly became a member of the Committee of Safety and was actively involved in preparing the defenses of Fort Union and Wilmington. In March 1814 Horsey presented a petition from the citizens of Delaware to repeal the Embargo Act of 1807; although he was able to get a committee appointed to consider the question, the effort was ultimately unsuccessful. He was reelected in 1814, and served from January 12, 1810, to March 3, 1821.

Following the War of 1812, but while still a contentious subject, the need for internal improvements had become much more apparent and recognized. It would be on Horsey's motion in January 1816, that the Senate finally passed the resolution to print and distribute copies of Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin's 1808 Report on the Subject of Public Roads and Canals. The report, which had been requested by the Senate in 1807 and transmitted to it in 1808 had fallen victim to the embargo, the loss of revenue, and the necessities of war. With the report's distribution, many of its concepts would be incorporated into the Bonus Bill of 1817.

Several years later, he parted ways with the Delaware General Assembly which had passed a resolution asking Delaware's congressmen to vote against any extension of slavery. Horsey did not feel U.S. Congress had the right to prohibit slavery in Missouri, or anywhere else in the Louisiana Purchase, and so supported the Missouri Compromise. Understanding the unpopularity of this position he did not seek reelection when his term ended. During the 16th Congress, he served as Chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia.

Death and legacy

Horsey died at Needwood, his wife's estate near Petersville in Frederick County, Maryland and is buried in St. John's Cemetery at Frederick.

He owned the Zachariah Ferris House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the State House took office on the first Tuesday of January for a term of one year. The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators, who took office March 4 for a six-year term. In this case he was initially completing the existing term, the vacancy caused by the death of Samuel White.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Began office	Ended office	notes
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 6, 1801	January 5, 1802
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 5, 1802	January 4, 1803
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 4, 1803	January 3, 1804
Attorney General	Executive	Dover	1806	1810	Delaware
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 12, 1810	March 3, 1815
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	March 4, 1815	March 3, 1821

United States Congressional service
Dates	Congress	Chamber	Majority	President	Committees	Class/District
1810–1811	11th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Madison		class 1
1811–1813	12th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Madison		class 1
1813–1815	13th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Madison		class 1
1815–1817	14th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Madison		class 1
1817–1819	15th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Monroe		class 1
1819–1821	16th	U.S. Senate	Republican	James Monroe		class 1

External links

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965

Legal offices
Preceded by Nicholas Van Dyke	Attorney General of Delaware 1806–1810	Succeeded by Thomas Clayton
United States Senate
Preceded by Samuel White	U.S. Senator from Delaware 1810-1821	Succeeded by Caesar A. Rodney