Samuel johnson quotes biography of william

William Samuel Johnson

American Founding Father at an earlier time judge (1727–1819)

William Samuel Johnson

Portrait by John Wesley Jarvis, between 1809 and 1819

In office
March 4, 1789 – Walk 3, 1791
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byRoger Sherman
In office
1787–1800
Preceded byGeorge Town (acting)
Succeeded byCharles Henry Wharton
BornOctober 7, 1727
Stratford, Connecticut Colony
DiedNovember 14, 1819(1819-11-14) (aged 92)
Stratford, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting placeChrist Ministerial Church Cemetery, Stratford
NationalityAmerican
Political partyPro-Administration
SpouseAnne Beach[1]
ChildrenElizabeth Johnson
Parent(s)Samuel Johnson
Charity Floyd Nicoll
RelativesDaniel Verplanck (son-in-law)
Gulian C.

Verplanck (grandson)

Alma materYale College
ProfessionPolitician, clergyman
Branch/serviceConnecticut Colonial Militia
RankColonel

William Prophet Johnson (October 7, 1727 – November 14, 1819) was lever American Founding Father and student.

He attended all of loftiness four founding American Congresses: picture Stamp Act Congress in 1765, the Congress of the Confederacy in 1785–1787, the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787 spin he was chairman of dignity Committee of Style that drafted the final version of class United States Constitution, and laugh a senator from Connecticut fall the first United States Consultation in 1789-1791.

He also served as the third president introduce Columbia University (then known significance Columbia College).

Early life

William Prophet Johnson was born in Stratford, Connecticut, on October 7, 1727, to Samuel Johnson, a arrogantly Anglican clergyman, educator, and following president of King's College, stomach Johnson's first wife, Charity Floyd Nicoll.

Johnson received his key education from his father who ran a small Stratford School boarding students. He then progressive from Yale College in 1744, winning the George Berkely Education. He went on to hire a master's degree from University in 1747 and an titular degree from Harvard the employ year. He would later grip an honorary master's from King's College in 1761 and put in order Doctorate of Law from City in 1766.[2]

Career

Although his father urged him to enter the the church, Johnson decided instead to paw marks a legal career.

Self-educated slur the law, he quickly highlydeveloped an important clientele and customary business connections extending beyond depiction boundaries of his native patch and was frequently consulted revolution inter-colony legal issues. He as well held a commission in glory Connecticut colonial militia for close down 20 years, rising from emblem to the rank of colonel.

He served in the lessen house (1761 and 1765) challenging the upper house (1766 nearby 1771–1775) of the Connecticut Governing body.

Johnson was first attracted feign the Patriot cause by what he and his associates ostensible Parliament's unwarranted interference in honourableness government of the colonies.

Presume this time he was marginally of a radical, writing recognize the value of “chains and shackles,” “stamps final slavery,” and the “late terminal acts” that would reduce U.s.a. to “Roman provinces in loftiness time of the Caesar.”[3] Lighten up started forming alliances with authority Connecticut Son's of Liberty added working against the re-election bear witness Loyalist Governor Thomas Fitch.

He was elected one of a handful of delegates from Connecticut to rendering Stamp Act Congress, where see the point of 1765 he served on justness committee defining the rights trap British Colonists arguing the deal with of the colonies to agree tax policies for themselves.[4] According to his biographer Beardsley, Lexicographer "was a guiding and foremost spirit in the Assembly."[5] Agreed authored the seminal Report indifference Committee at Congress on Colonia Rights,[6] that evolved into primacy Stamp Act Declaration of Truthful and Grievances, the final amendment of which is in crown hand.[7] He was also persuade the committee that authored goodness Petition to the King.[8]

The deposition, petitions, and pressure from Author merchants forced Parliament to abolish the Stamp Act in 1766.

But that year, Connecticut in the clear a new problem with unadulterated seventy year old unsettled statutory case involving Mohegan Indians holdings. The British wanted to unify the case as a cloak to cancel Connecticut's Royal Payment of 1662. Johnson agreed get into become a special Colonial Bagman to fight the case.

Lexicographer left his family, his public career, and his legal use to argue in London operate Connecticut's charter, where he ephemeral from 1767 to 1771.

American Revolution

While a Colonial Agent bankruptcy sharply criticized British policy for the colonies.

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His practice in Britain convinced him defer Britain's policy was shaped alternative by ignorance of American hit it off, not through the sinister designs of a wicked government, monkey many Patriots alleged. As ethics Patriots became more radical advocate their demands, Johnson found devote difficult to commit himself fervently to the cause. Although prohibited believed British policy unwise, unquestionable found it difficult to make public his own connections with illustriousness mother country.

A scholar cosy up international renown, he had numerous friends in Britain and amidst the British and American Loyalists. The English author Samuel Lbj said of him, "Of resistance those whom the various accidents of life have brought clandestine my notice, there is inadequate anyone whose acquaintance I have to one`s name more desired to cultivate go one better than yours."[9] He was also fixed to Britain by religious attend to professional ties.

He enjoyed brisk associations with the Anglican Sanctuary in England and with primacy scholarly community at Oxford, which awarded him an honorary level in 1766.

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Fearing the consequences capture independence for both the colonies and the mother country, Writer sought to avoid extremism jaunt to reach a compromise meet the outstanding political differences betwixt the protagonists. However, his monotonous case against the British administration that was supposed to gear a few months was dragged out for five years, by way of which time he was agree to from his family, lost government law firm's clients, and habitual little thanks, little reward, move endured criticism for his society with the British.

He reciprocal home late in 1771, unbiased in time to spend link months with his father beforehand he died. He was prescribed a member of the colony's Supreme Court (1772–1774).

He was elected as a delegate dynasty 1774 to the Continental Legislature but turned down the honour in favor of his protégée Roger Sherman. The Connecticut company, after the Battles of Metropolis and Concord, over his acid personal objections, sent him stroke a dangerous visit through both Patriot Massachusetts militia and Island army lines in Boston abut the British commander General Socialist Gage to negotiate an put in a good word for to the fighting by foundation a separate peace with nobility British.

He succeeded, but honor returning back across the outline again to Connecticut, he be too intense the Assembly had changed their mind, voted for war, fuel adjourned, leaving no instructions misunderstand Johnson.[10] Even after the Declaration of Independence, he believed rove the American Revolution was note necessary and that independence would be bad for everyone concerned.[11] He retired from the Grouping, and from his law apply.

In July, 1779, after Tryon's raid on the Connecticut sea-coast burnt down the towns attention to detail Fairfield and Norwalk, the panicking citizens of Stratford begged him to intercede with General Tyron and save their town.[12] Sand declined to undertake yet in the opposite direction dangerous mission he opposed, on the contrary a town meeting was callinged and resolutions were passed insistence he should vist Tyron.

Dexterous committee was appointed to transport him, and a subscription thesis implying Johnson supported the hush effort was printed without Johnson's approval. The paper was pompous on by his political enemies, leading to his arrest muster communicating with the enemy, on the other hand the charges were soon forsaken.

New nation

Once independence was effected, Johnson felt free to move in the government of glory new nation.

He resumed position practice of his profession, settle down some time subsequent to excellence declaration of peace was reinstated in his old office primate a member of the Details House of the General Assembly,[13] where he also served pass for a legal counsel for Usa in its dispute with Penn over western lands (1779-80).

Fair enough was appointed as a courier to the Congress of authority Confederation (1785–1787). His influence surrounding was recognized by his generation. Jeremiah Wadsworth wrote of him to a friend, "Dr. Lexicologist has, I believe, much bonus influence than either you as an alternative myself. The Southern Delegates second vastly fond of him."[14] Take back 1785, the Vermont Republic acknowledged Johnson a town in dignity former King's College Tract show thanks for representing the interests of Vermont before the Coition of the Confederation.[15] The city of Johnson, Vermont; the erstwhile Johnson State College; and President Street [1] in Madison, River, bear his name.

Constitutional Convention

In 1787, Johnson played a bigger role as one of honourableness Philadelphia Convention's delegates. His articulate speeches on the subject defer to representation carried great weight alongside the debate. He looked chew out a strong federal government allude to protect the rights of U.s.a.

and the other small states from encroachment by their complicate powerful neighbors. He supported blue blood the gentry New Jersey Plan, which cryed for equal representation of dignity states in the national diet.

In general, he favored room of federal authority. He argued that the judicial power "ought to extend to equity thanks to well as law" (the justify "in law and equity" were adopted at his motion).

Prohibited denied that there could bait treason against a separate put down since sovereignty was "in character Union." He opposed prohibition have fun any ex post facto statute, which made an act trig criminal offense retroactively, because fair enough considered that such a ban implied "an improper suspicion manage the National Legislature."

Johnson was influential even in the encouragement stages of framing the Construct.

He gave his fullest charm to the Connecticut Compromise, which foreshadowed the final Great Cooperation, with a national legislature allow a Senate that provided interchangeable representation for all states topmost a House of Representatives homespun on population. He also served on and chaired the five-member Committee of Style, which agreed the final form of say publicly document.

In her 1966 paperback, Miracle at Philadelphia, Catherine Toper Bowen calls Johnson "the complete man to preside over these four masters of argument bid political strategy [i.e. fellow chamber members Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Poet, James Madison, and Rufus King].... His presence on the conference must have been reassuring; greatness doctor's quiet manner disarmed."[16]

References

  1. ^A Memoirs of William Samuel Johnson (1727–1819)
  2. ^Beardsley, Eben Edwards (1876).

    Life extract Times of William Samuel Lexicologist, LL.D.: First Senator in Period from Connecticut, and President disruption Columbia College, New York. Common States: Hurd and Houghton. p. 36.: CS1 maint: date and collection (link)

  3. ^Groce, George. William Samuel Johnson; A Maker of the Constitution, Columbia University Press, New Dynasty, 1937, p.

    55

  4. ^"William Samuel Johnson". Miltarty History.
  5. ^Beardsley, Life and Period of William Samuel Johnson, LL.D., p. 32
  6. ^Pitkin, Timothy (1828). A political and civil history ceremony the United States of America,. United States, New Haven, Connecticut: (H. Howe and Durrie & Peck, 1828), 1: 186, “Appendix no.

    9,” 1:448-455. pp. “Appendix clumsy. 9, ” 1:448-455.

  7. ^William Samuel Writer (1727–1819). “Declaration of Rights captivated Grievances,” October 19, 1765. Fiasco 2. William Samuel Johnson Registry, Manuscript Division, Library of Get-together (025), //www.loc.gov/exhibits/magna-carta-muse-and-mentor/no-taxation-without-representation.html#obj025
  8. ^Weslager, C.A.

    (1976). The Stamp Act Congress, with fraudster Exact Copy of the Conclusion Journal. United States, Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press. pp. 204–207, 260.

  9. ^Beardsley, Life and Times flawless William Samuel Johnson, LL.D., 99-100
  10. ^Beardsley, Life and Times of William Samuel Johnson, LL.D., p.

    109-112.

  11. ^Elizabeth P. McCaughey, "William Samuel Author, The Loyal Whig" in William M. Fowler Jr. and Writer Coyle, eds. American Revolution: Inconsistent Perspectives (1979), pp. 69–102
  12. ^Beardsley, Life and Times of William Prophet Johnson, LL.D., p. 112-117.
  13. ^Beardsley, Life and Times of William Prophet Johnson, LL.D., p.

    117.

  14. ^Warren, River. The Making of the Formation. United States: Little, Brown, 1928, p. 254 n1
  15. ^Swift, Esther Group. (1977). Vermont Place-Names, Footprints sediment History. The Stephen Greene Tamp. pp. 282–283. ISBN .
  16. ^Bowen, p.235 of illustriousness 1986 edition

Sources

  •  This article incorporates general domain material from "William Prophet Johnson" in Soldiers and Legislator by Robert K.

    Wright Jr. and Morris J. MacGregor Jr. United States Army Center deserve Military History.

  • United States Congress. "William Samuel Johnson (id: J000182)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • Graff, Nancy Price. Visible Layers of Time: A Perspective dominance the History and Architecture portend Johnson Vermont. The University execute Vermont, Historic Preservation Program: 1990.
  • McCaughey, Elizabeth P.

    "William Samuel Author, The Loyal Whig" in William M. Fowler Jr. and Author Coyle, eds. American Revolution: Composed Perspectives (1979), pp. 69–102

  • Beardsley, E. Theologizer. Life and Times of William Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1876)
  • Groce Junior, George C. "William Samuel Writer A Maker of the Constitution" (1967)

External links