LEACH, James Madison, member of congress, born in Lansdowne, Randolph County, North Carolina, in 1824. He received a college education, but was not graduated, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1842. He was for ten years in the house of representatives of North Carolina, six years in the state senate, and was a presidential elector on the Fillmore ticket in 1856. He was then elected to congress from North Carolina as a Whig, and served from 3 December, 1859, till 3 March, 1861. He opposed secession till the beginning of hostilities, but was for one year a field-officer in the Confederate army and a member of the Confederate congress in 1864-'5. After the war he served twice in the state senate, and was elected to congress for two consecutive terms as a Conservative, serving from 4 March, 1871, till 3 March, 1875. He was a presidential elector in 1876 and 1880.