Henry B. Anthony

Henry B. Anthony

Henry Bowen Anthony (April 1, 1815 – September 2, 1884) was a U.S. political figure. He served as the editor and later part owner of the Providence Journal and later was the Governor of Rhode Island between 1849 and 1851, as a member of the Whig Party. During his lifetime, he was nortorious for his stunch anti-Catholic and anti-Irish bigotry. During his tenure as the editor of the Providence Journal, his anti-Catholic editorials whipped up the flames of hatred against the growing Irish and French Canadian communities in Rhode Island. It not be until the 20th century that Catholics would gain acceptance in Rhode Island. Anthony won his election to the governorship on an anti-Catholic platform. Very few anti-Catholic politicans would ever rise to the heights that Anthony would. He was a strong supporter of President Lincoln as a U.S. Senator during the American Civil War.

Anthony served from 1859 as a Republican Senator from Rhode Island, he served as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate in 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873 and finally in 1875. He gave up that post when he was elected conference chairman in 1875. As chair, Anthony acted much like the later majority leaders, giving committee assignments to members of his party, calling up bills for debate, and often speaking for his party on the issues of the day. He was also the author of the "Anthony Rule," an early attempt to limit debate in the Senate in the days before cloture. Known as the Father of the Senate.[1]