John Covode

John Covode
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania
In office February 9, 1870 – January 11, 1871
Preceded by	Vacant
Succeeded by	Henry Donnel Foster
Constituency	21st district
In office March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869
Preceded by	John Littleton Dawson
Succeeded by	Vacant
Constituency	21st district
In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1863
Preceded by	Augustus Drum
Succeeded by	Glenni William Scofield
Constituency	19th district
Personal details
Born	(1808-03-17)March 17, 1808 West Fairfield, Pennsylvania
Died	January 11, 1871(1871-01-11)(aged 62)
Political party	Whig Republican(after 1854)
Signature

John Covode(March 17, 1808 – January 11, 1871) was anAmericanbusinessman andabolitionistpolitician. He served three terms in theUnited States House of RepresentativesfromPennsylvania.

Early life

Covode was born inFairfield Township,Westmoreland County,Pennsylvania. He worked for several years on his father's farm, served an apprenticeship to ablacksmith,and then was employed at a woolen mill inLockport, Pennsylvania.He became owner of the woolen mill and attained considerable wealth as a woolen manufacturer.Other business interests included the Westmoreland Coal Company, where he served as the first president of the company in 1854.He served for two terms in the Pennsylvania Legislature(House of Representatives). Two attempts to enter the Pennsylvania Senate were unsuccessful.

United States House of Representatives

In1854,he was elected toCongressas anOpposition Partycandidate.

After joining theRepublican Party,he was re-elected to the35th Congressin1856.He was a strong supporter of theFreedmen's Bureau,theCivil Rights Act of 1866,and theReconstruction Acts.He attended theUnion National ConventioninPhiladelphiain 1866. On February 21, 1868, Covode introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives toimpeachPresidentAndrew Johnson.A slightly-amended version of this resolution,was passed by the House on February 24, 1868,thereby impeaching Johnson, but theSenatedid not vote to convict him inhis impeachment trial.

Committees

He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Public Expenditures from 1857 until 1859 and the United States House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds from 1867 until 1869. He also served on theUnited States Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War,in reference to theAmerican Civil War.

Covode Committee

Covode is most famous for chairing a committee to investigate the possibility of impeaching PresidentJames Buchananduring the spring and summer of 1860. Officially titled theUnited States House Select Committee to Investigate Alleged Corruptions in Government,it is more popularly known as the Covode Committee after him.

United States House election, 1870

Covode contested with Henry D. Foster the election to theForty-firstCongress, neither being sworn pending the contest, as no credentials were issued by the Governor. On February 9, 1870, the House declared him duly elected, whereupon he qualified and served until his death. Covode died inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania,aged 62.

Family

His oldest son,George H. Covode(1835–1864), was acolonelin theUnion Armyduring the Civil War. He died on June 25, 1864, after being shot in the arm and stomach byConfederatetroops he had mistaken for Unionists.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)

External links

• United States Congress."John Covode (id: C000818)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Biography from Spartacus Educational
• The Political Graveyard
• John CovodeatFind a Grave
• Papers of John Covode- People's Contest Website

Bibliography

• Chester, Edward W. "The Impact of the Covode Congressional Investigation." Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 42 (December 1959): 343-50
• Baker, Jean H.: James Buchanan, Times Books: 2004