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'''Jacob Dolson Cox, Jr.''' (October 27, 1828 – August 4, 1900), was a [[Republican]] from [[Ohio]] who served as a state senator, U.S. representative, and governor, in addition to being [[Secretary of the Interior]] under the presidency of [[Ulysses S. Grant]]. Although an [[abolitionist]] initially aligned with Whigs and Free Soils,<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio>[https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/jacob-d-cox Jacob D. Cox]. ''American Battlefield Trust''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> Cox later broke with most Republicans in his support for [[Andrew Johnson]] and opposition towards black suffrage.
Many sources attempt to paint Cox as a supposed "conservative,"<ref>[https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/45099 In Columbus, former Union General Jacob D. Cox is inaugurated as the twenty-eighth governor of Ohio]. ''House Divided''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> even though the Ohio [[RINO]] would later join reformers in the [[Liberal Republican Party]] revolt from the national GOP. Cox's later tenure in the House during the post-[[Reconstruction]] era was quite liberal, with the DW-NOMINATE system ranking him with an ideology score of "0.195" and dubbing him "More liberal than 94% of Republicans in the 45th House."<ref>[https://voteview.com/person/2113/jacob-dolson-cox COX, Jacob Dolson (1828-1900)]. ''Voteview''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref>
==Ohio State Senate==
In 1858, Cox was elected to the upper body of the Ohio state legislature.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Allying with senators [[James A. Garfield]] (future president) and James Monroe, Cox helped promote bills that benefited the Union.
==American Civil War==
Following the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], Cox enlisted in the Union Army, joining the Ohio Volunteers as a brigadier general.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Under the leadership of General [[George B. McClellan]], he participated in the campaigns of western Virginia and led the Kanawha Division of troops in advancing towards [[Charleston, South Carolina]].<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
In spite of setbacks during battles with [[Confederate]] troops, Cox's division managed to seize Turner's Gap from Confederate soldiers, who withdrew from the location.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Following the [[Battle of Antietam]], the subsequent year of 1863 was considered "relatively quiet" for Cox. In 1864, however, Cox returned to active leadership in battles and particularly helped lead a blockade of ports used by the Confederacy.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
==Governor of Ohio==
In 1865, Cox ran for Governor of Ohio as a Republican, facing Democrat opponent and ambassador George W. Morgan. He managed to win the general election by seven percentage points,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=91188 OH Governor Race - Oct 10, 1865]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> and proceeded to serve for a two-year term.
During the campaign, Cox publicly expressed support for a proposal by President Andrew Johnson that would "colonize" blacks in a separate territory to supposedly "work out their own salvation."<ref name=fonerp.222-23>Foner, Eric (1988). ''Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863'', p. 222–23. ''Harper and Row, Publishers''.</ref> He appealed to sentiments against racial equality, even threatening former ally James Garfield, a [[Radical Republican]], over the issue.
Under Cox's tenure, post-Civil War matters were handled.<ref>[https://www.nga.org/governor/jacob-dolson-cox/ Gov. Jacob Dolson Cox]. ''National Governors Association''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> Despite previously being am abolitionist, Cox at this point resented efforts to ensure equality for blacks and opposed suffrage measures out of the belief that whites and blacks were incapable of living together as equals.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
Black suffrage was an intensely debated issue in Ohio, and despite adamant efforts from loyal Republicans, a referenda in support of such failed to pass in the state due to [[Republican in name only|a small faction of nominal Republicans]] siding with Democrats against it.<ref name=fonerp.222-23/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Jacob D.}}
[[Category:Ohio]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Abolitionists]]
[[Category:American Civil War]]
[[Category:Reconstruction]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Segregationists]]
Many sources attempt to paint Cox as a supposed "conservative,"<ref>[https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/45099 In Columbus, former Union General Jacob D. Cox is inaugurated as the twenty-eighth governor of Ohio]. ''House Divided''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> even though the Ohio [[RINO]] would later join reformers in the [[Liberal Republican Party]] revolt from the national GOP. Cox's later tenure in the House during the post-[[Reconstruction]] era was quite liberal, with the DW-NOMINATE system ranking him with an ideology score of "0.195" and dubbing him "More liberal than 94% of Republicans in the 45th House."<ref>[https://voteview.com/person/2113/jacob-dolson-cox COX, Jacob Dolson (1828-1900)]. ''Voteview''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref>
==Ohio State Senate==
In 1858, Cox was elected to the upper body of the Ohio state legislature.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Allying with senators [[James A. Garfield]] (future president) and James Monroe, Cox helped promote bills that benefited the Union.
==American Civil War==
Following the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], Cox enlisted in the Union Army, joining the Ohio Volunteers as a brigadier general.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Under the leadership of General [[George B. McClellan]], he participated in the campaigns of western Virginia and led the Kanawha Division of troops in advancing towards [[Charleston, South Carolina]].<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
In spite of setbacks during battles with [[Confederate]] troops, Cox's division managed to seize Turner's Gap from Confederate soldiers, who withdrew from the location.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/> Following the [[Battle of Antietam]], the subsequent year of 1863 was considered "relatively quiet" for Cox. In 1864, however, Cox returned to active leadership in battles and particularly helped lead a blockade of ports used by the Confederacy.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
==Governor of Ohio==
In 1865, Cox ran for Governor of Ohio as a Republican, facing Democrat opponent and ambassador George W. Morgan. He managed to win the general election by seven percentage points,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=91188 OH Governor Race - Oct 10, 1865]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> and proceeded to serve for a two-year term.
During the campaign, Cox publicly expressed support for a proposal by President Andrew Johnson that would "colonize" blacks in a separate territory to supposedly "work out their own salvation."<ref name=fonerp.222-23>Foner, Eric (1988). ''Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863'', p. 222–23. ''Harper and Row, Publishers''.</ref> He appealed to sentiments against racial equality, even threatening former ally James Garfield, a [[Radical Republican]], over the issue.
Under Cox's tenure, post-Civil War matters were handled.<ref>[https://www.nga.org/governor/jacob-dolson-cox/ Gov. Jacob Dolson Cox]. ''National Governors Association''. Retrieved December 20, 2021.</ref> Despite previously being am abolitionist, Cox at this point resented efforts to ensure equality for blacks and opposed suffrage measures out of the belief that whites and blacks were incapable of living together as equals.<ref name=battlefieldtrustbio/>
Black suffrage was an intensely debated issue in Ohio, and despite adamant efforts from loyal Republicans, a referenda in support of such failed to pass in the state due to [[Republican in name only|a small faction of nominal Republicans]] siding with Democrats against it.<ref name=fonerp.222-23/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Jacob D.}}
[[Category:Ohio]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Abolitionists]]
[[Category:American Civil War]]
[[Category:Reconstruction]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Segregationists]]