The Forgotten Presidents (The presidents before George Washington)

Who was the first president of the United States? Ask any school child and they will readily tell you "George Washington." And of course, they would be wrongat least technically. Washington was not inaugurated until April !, "#$%. And yet, the United States continually had functioning go&ern'ents fro' as early as Septe'ber (, "##) and operated as a confederated nation fro' as early as *uly ), "##+. ,uring that nearly fifteen year inter&al, -ongressfirst the -ontinental -ongress and then later the -onfederation -ongresswas always 'oderated by a duly elected president. As the chief e.ecuti&e officer of the go&ern'ent of the United States, the president was recogni/ed as the head of state. Washington was thus the fifteenth in a long line of distinguished presidentsand he led the se&enteenth ad'inistrationhe 0ust happened to be the first under the current constitution. So who were the lu'inaries who preceded hi'? 1he following brief biographies profile these "forgotten presidents." Peyton Randolph of Virginia (1723-1775) When delegates gathered in 2hiladelphia for the first -ontinental -ongress, they pro'ptly elected the for'er 3ing4s Attorney of 5irginia as the 'oderator and president of their con&ocation. 6e was a propitious choice. 6e was a legal prodigyha&ing studied at the 7nner 1e'ple in 8ondon, ser&ed as his nati&e colony4s Attorney General, and tutored 'any of the 'ost able 'en of the South at Willia' and 9ary -ollegeincluding the young 2atrick 6enry. 6is ho'e in Willia'sburg was the gathering place for 5irginia4s legal and political gentryand it re'ains a popular attraction in the restored colonial capital. 6e had ser&ed as a delegate in the 5irginia 6ouse of :urgesses, and had been a co''ander under Willia' :yrd in the colonial 'ilitia. 6e was a scholar of so'e renownha&ing begun a self;guided reading of the classics when he was thirteen. ,espite suffering poor health ser&ed the -ontinental -ongress as president twice, in "##) fro' Septe'ber ( to <ctober =", and then again for a few days in "##( fro' 9ay "! to 9ay = . 6e ne&er li&ed to see independence, yet was nu'bered a'ong the nation4s 'ost re&ered founders. Henry Middleton (1717-1784) A'erica4s second elected president was one of the wealthiest planters in the South, the patriarch of the 'ost powerful fa'ilies anywhere in the nation. 6is public spirit was e&ident fro' an early age. 6e was a 'e'ber of his state4s -o''on 6ouse fro' "#));"#)#. ,uring the last two years he ser&ed as the Speaker. ,uring "#(( he was the 3ing4s -o''issioner of 7ndian Affairs. 6e was a 'e'ber of the South -arolina -ouncil fro' "#((;"##!. 6is &alor in the War with the -herokees during "#+!;"#+" earned hi' wide recognition throughout the coloniesand de'onstrated his cool leadership abilities while under pressure. 6e was elected as a delegate to the first session of the -ontinental -ongress and when 2eyton >andolph was forced to resign the presidency, his peers i''ediately turned to 9iddleton to co'plete the ter'. 6e ser&ed as the fledgling coalition4s president fro' <ctober ==, "##) until >andolph was able to resu'e his duties briefly beginning on 9ay "!, "##(. Afterward, he was a 'e'ber of the -ongressional -ouncil of Safety and helped to establish the young nation4s policy toward the encourage'ent and support of education. 7n ?ebruary "##+ he resigned his political in&ol&e'ents in order to prepare his fa'ily and lands for what he belie&ed was ine&itable warbut he was replaced by his son Arthur who e&entually beca'e a signer of both the ,eclaration of 7ndependence and the Articles of -onfederation, ser&ed ti'e as an @nglish prisoner of war, and was twice elected Go&ernor of his state. John Han o ! (1737-17"3) 1he third president was a patriot, rebel leader, 'erchant who signed his na'e into i''ortality in giant strokes on the ,eclaration of 7ndependence on *uly ), "##+. 1he boldness of his signature has 'ade it li&e in A'erican 'inds as a perfect e.pression of the strength and freedo'and defianceof the indi&idual in the face of :ritish tyranny. As 2resident of the -ontinental -ongress during two widely spaced ter'sthe first fro' 9ay =) "##( to <ctober ! "### and the second fro' Ao&e'ber = "$$( to *une (, "#$+6ancock was the presiding officer when the 'e'bers appro&ed the ,eclaration of 7ndependence. :ecause of his position, it was his official duty to sign the docu'ent firstbut not necessarily as dra'atically as he did. 6ancock figured pro'inently in another historic e&entthe battle at 8e.ingtonB :ritish troops who fought there April "!, "##(, had known 6ancock and Sa'uel Ada's were in 8e.ington and had co'e there to capture these rebel leaders. And the two would ha&e been captured, if they had not been warned by 2aul >e&ere. As early as "#+$, 6ancock defied the :ritish by refusing to

pay custo's charges on the cargo of one of his ships. <ne of :oston4s wealthiest 'erchants, he was recogni/ed by the citi/ens, as well as by the :ritish, as a rebel leaderand was elected 2resident of the first 9assachusetts 2ro&incial -ongress. After he was chosen 2resident of the -ontinental -ongress in "##(, 6ancock beca'e known beyond the borders of 9assachusetts, and, ha&ing ser&ed as colonel of the 9assachusetts Go&ernor4s Guards he hoped to be na'ed co''ander of the A'erican forcesuntil *ohn Ada's no'inated George Washington. 7n "##$ 6ancock was co''issioned 9a0or General and took part in an unsuccessful ca'paign in >hode 7sland. :ut it was as a political leader that his real distinction was earnedas the first Go&ernor of 9assachusetts, as 2resident of -ongress, and as 2resident of the 9assachusetts constitutional ratification con&ention. 6e helped win ratification in 9assachusetts, gaining enough popular recognition to 'ake hi' a contender for the newly created 2residency of the United States, but again he saw Washington gain the pri/e. 8ike his ri&al, George Washington, 6ancock was a wealthy 'an who risked 'uch for the cause of independence. 6e was the wealthiest Aew @nglander supporting the patriotic cause, and, although he lacked the brilliance of *ohn Ada's or the capacity to inspire of Sa'uel Ada's, he beca'e one of the fore'ost leaders of the new nationperhaps, in part, because he was willing to co''it so 'uch at such risk to the cause of freedo'. Henry #a$ren% (1724-17"2) 1he only A'erican president e&er to be held as a prisoner of war by a foreign power, 8aurens was heralded after he was released as "the father of our country," by no less a personage than George Washington. 6e was of 6uguenot e.traction, his ancestors ha&ing co'e to A'erica fro' ?rance after the re&ocation of the @dict of Aantes 'ade the >efor'ed faith illegal. >aised and educated for a life of 'ercantilis' at his ho'e in -harleston, he also had the opportunity to spend 'ore than a year in continental tra&el. 7t was while in @urope that he began to write re&olutionary pa'phletsgaining hi' renown as a patriot. 6e ser&ed as &ice;president of South -arolina in"##+. 6e was then elected to the -ontinental -ongress. 6e succeeded *ohn 6ancock as 2resident of the newly independent but war beleaguered United States on Ao&e'ber ", "###. 6e ser&ed until ,ece'ber %, "##$ at which ti'e he was appointed A'bassador to the Aetherlands. Unfortunately for the cause of the young nation, he was captured by an @nglish warship during his cross;Atlantic &oyage and was confined to the 1ower of 8ondon until the end of the war. After the :attle of Corktown, the A'erican go&ern'ent regained his freedo' in a dra'atic prisoner e.change2resident 8aurens for 8ord -ornwallis. @&er the patriot, 8aurens continued to ser&e his nation as one of the three representati&es selected to negotiate ter's at the 2aris 2eace -onference in "#$=. John Jay (1745-182") A'erica4s first Secretary of State, first -hief *ustice of the Supre'e -ourt, one of its first a'bassadors, and author of so'e of the celebrated ?ederalist 2apers, *ay was a ?ounding ?ather who, by a Duirk of fate, 'issed signing the ,eclaration of 7ndependenceat the ti'e of the &ote for independence and the signing, he had te'porarily left the -ontinental -ongress to ser&e in Aew Cork4s re&olutionary legislature. Ae&ertheless, he was chosen by his peers to succeed 6enry 8aurens as 2resident of the United Statesser&ing a ter' fro' ,ece'ber "!, "##$ to Septe'ber =#, "##%. A conser&ati&e Aew Cork lawyer who was at first against the idea of independence for the colonies, the aristocratic *ay in "##+ turned into a patriot who was willing to gi&e the ne.t twenty;fi&e years of his life to help establish the new nation. ,uring those years, he won the regard of his peers as a dedicated and acco'plished states'an and a 'an of unwa&ering principle. 7n the -ontinental -ongress *ay prepared addresses to the people of -anada and Great :ritain. 7n Aew Cork he drafted the State constitution and ser&ed as -hief *ustice during the war. 6e was 2resident of the -ontinental -ongress before he undertook the difficult assign'ent, as a'bassador, of trying to gain support and funds fro' Spain. After helping ?ranklin, *efferson, Ada's, and 8aurens co'plete peace negotiations in 2aris in "#$ , *ay returned to beco'e the first Secretary of State, called "Secretary of ?oreign Affairs" under the Articles of -onfederation. 6e negotiated &aluable co''ercial treaties with >ussia and 9orocco, and dealt with the continuing contro&ersy with :ritain and Spain o&er the southern and western boundaries of the United States. 6e proposed that A'erica and :ritain establish a 0oint co''ission to arbitrate disputes that re'ained after the wara proposal which, though not adopted, influenced the go&ern'ent4s use of arbitration and diplo'acy in settling later international proble's. 7n this post *ay felt keenly the weakness of the Articles of -onfederation and was one of the first to ad&ocate a new go&ern'ental co'pact. 6e wrote fi&e ?ederalist 2apers supporting the -onstitution, and he was a leader in the Aew Cork ratification con&ention. As first -hief *ustice of the Supre'e -ourt, *ay 'ade the historic decision that a State could be sued by a citi/en fro' another State, which led to the @le&enth A'end'ent to the -onstitution. <n a special 'ission to 8ondon he

concluded the "*ay 1reaty," which helped a&ert a renewal of hostilities with :ritain but won little popular fa&or at ho'eand it is probably for this treaty that this ?ounding ?ather is best re'e'bered. &a'$el H$ntington (1732-17"() An industrious youth who 'astered his studies of the law without the ad&antage of a school, a tutor, or a 'aster borrowing books and snatching opportunities to read and research between odd 0obshe was one of the greatest self;'ade 'en a'ong the ?ounders. 6e was also one of the greatest legal 'inds of the ageall the 'ore re'arkable for his lack of ad&antage as a youth. 7n "#+), in recognition of his ob&ious abilities and initiati&e, he was elected to the General Asse'bly of -onnecticut. 1he ne.t year he was chosen to ser&e on the @.ecuti&e -ouncil. 7n "##) he was appointed Associate *udge of the Superior -ourt and, as a delegate to the -ontinental -ongress, was acknowledged to be a legal scholar of so'e respect. 6e ser&ed in -ongress for fi&e consecuti&e ter's, during the last of which he was elected 2resident. 6e ser&ed in that off ice fro' Septe'ber =$, "##% until ill health forced hi' to resign on *uly %, "#$". 6e returned to his ho'e in -onnecticutand as he recuperated, he accepted 'ore -ounciliar and :ench duties. 6e again took his seat in -ongress in "#$ , but left it to beco'e -hief *ustice of his state4s Superior -ourt. 6e was elected 8ieutenant Go&ernor in "#$( and Go&ernor in "#$+. According to *ohn *ay, he was "the 'ost precisely trained -hristian 0urists e&er to ser&e his country." )ho'a% M *ean (1734-1817) ,uring his astonishingly &aried fifty;year career in public life he held al'ost e&ery possible positionfro' deputy county attorney to 2resident of the United States under the -onfederation. :esides signing the ,eclaration of 7ndependence, he contributed significantly to the de&elop'ent and establish'ent of constitutional go&ern'ent in both his ho'e state of ,elaware and the nation. At the Sta'p Act -ongress he proposed the &oting procedure that -ongress adoptedB that each colony, regardless of si/e or population, ha&e one &otethe practice adopted by the -ontinental -ongress and the -ongress of the -onfederation, and the principle of state eDuality 'anifest in the co'position of the Senate. And as county 0udge in "#+(, he defied the :ritish by ordering his court to work only with docu'ents that did not bear the hated sta'ps. 7n *une "##+, at the -ontinental -ongress, 9c3ean 0oined with -aesar >odney to register ,elaware4s appro&al of the ,eclaration of 7ndependence, o&er the negati&e &ote of the third ,elaware delegate, George >eadper'itting it to be "1he unani'ous declaration of the thirteen United States." And at a special ,elaware con&ention, he drafted the constitution for that State. 9c3ean also helped draft and signedthe Articles of -onfederation. 7t was during his tenure of ser&ice as 2residentfro' *uly "!, "#$" to Ao&e'ber ), "#$=when news arri&ed fro' General Washington in <ctober "#$" that the :ritish had surrendered following the :attle of Corktown. As -hief *ustice of the supre'e court of 2ennsyl&ania, he contributed to the establish'ent of the legal syste' in that State, and, in "#$#, he strongly supported the -onstitution at the 2ennsyl&ania >atification -on&ention, declaring it "the best the world has yet seen." At si.ty; fi&e, after o&er forty years of public ser&ice, 9c3ean resigned fro' his post as -hief *ustice. A candidate on the ,e'ocratic;>epublican ticket in "#%%, 9c3ean was elected Go&ernor of 2ennsyl&ania. As Go&ernor, he followed such a strict policy of appointing only fellow >epublicans to office that he beca'e the father of the spoils syste' in A'erica. 6e ser&ed three te'pestuous ter's as Go&ernor, co'pleting one of the longest continuous careers of public ser&ice of any of the ?ounding ?athers. John Han%on (1715-1783) 6e was the heir of one of the greatest fa'ily traditions in the colonies and beca'e the patriarch of a long line of A'erican patriotshis great grandfather died at 8ut/en beside the great 3ing Gusta&us Aldophus of SwedenE his grandfather was one of the founders of Aew Sweden along the ,elaware >i&er in 9arylandE one of his nephews was the 'ilitary secretary to George WashingtonE another was a signer of the ,eclarationE still another was a signer of the -onstitutionE yet another was Go&ernor of 9aryland during the >e&olutionE and still another was a 'e'ber of the first -ongressE two sons were killed in action with the -ontinental Ar'yE a grandson ser&ed as a 'e'ber of -ongress under the new -onstitutionE and another grandson was a 9aryland Senator. 1hus, e&en if 6anson had not ser&ed as 2resident hi'self, he would ha&e greatly contributed to the life of the nation through his ancestry and progeny. As a youngster he began a self;guided reading of classics and rather Duickly beca'e an acknowledged e.pert in the 0uridicalis' of Ansel' and the practical philosophy of Senecaboth of which were influential in the de&elop'ent of the political philosophy of the great leaders of the >efor'ation. 7t was based upon these legal and theological studies that the young planterhis far', 9ulberry Gro&e was 0ust across the 2oto'ac fro' 9ount

5ernonbegan to espouse the cause of the patriots. 7n "##( he was elected to the 2ro&incial 8egislature of 9aryland. 1hen in "###, he beca'e a 'e'ber of -ongress where he distinguished hi'self as a brilliant ad'inistrator. 1hus, he was elected 2resident in "#$". 6e ser&ed in that office fro' Ao&e'ber (, "#$" until Ao&e'ber , "#$=. 6e was the first 2resident to ser&e a full ter' after the full ratification of the Articles of -onfederationand like so 'any of the Southern and Aew @ngland ?ounders, he was strongly opposed to the -onstitution when it was first discussed. 6e re'ained a confir'ed anti;federalist until his unti'ely death. +lia% ,o$dinot (1741-18-2) 6e did not sign the ,eclaration, the Articles, or the -onstitution. 6e did not ser&e in the -ontinental Ar'y with distinction. 6e was not renowned for his legal 'ind or his political skills. 6e was instead a 'an who spent his entire career in foreign diplo'acy. 6e earned the respect of his fellow patriots during the dangerous days following the traitorous action of :enedict Arnold. 6is deft handling of relations with -anada also earned hi' great praise. After being elected to the -ongress fro' his ho'e state of Aew *ersey, he ser&ed as the new nation4s Secretary for ?oreign Affairs'anaging the influ. of aid fro' ?rance, Spain, and 6olland. 1he in "#$ he was elected to the 2residency. 6e ser&ed in that office fro' Ao&e'ber ), "#$= until Ao&e'ber =, "#$ . 8ike so 'any of the other early presidents, he was a classically trained scholar, of the >efor'ed faith, and an anti;federalist in political 'atters. 6e was the father and grandfather of frontiers'enand one of his grandchildren and na'esakes e&entually beca'e a leader of the -herokee nation in its bid for independence fro' the sprawling e.pansion of the United States. )ho'a% Mifflin (1744-18--) :y an ironic sort of pro&idence, 1ho'as 9ifflin ser&ed as George Washington4s first aide;de;ca'p at the beginning of the >e&olutionary War, and, when the war was o&er, he was the 'an, as 2resident of the United States, who accepted Washington4s resignation of his co''ission. 7n the years between, 9ifflin greatly ser&ed the cause of freedo'and, apparently, his own causewhile ser&ing as the first Fuarter'aster General of the -ontinental Ar'y. 6e obtained desperately needed supplies for the new ar'yand was suspected of 'aking e.cessi&e profit hi'self. Although e.perienced in business and successful in obtaining supplies for the war, 9ifflin preferred the front lines, and he distinguished hi'self in 'ilitary actions on 8ong 7sland and near 2hiladelphia. :orn and reared a Fuaker, he was e.cluded fro' their 'eetings for his 'ilitary acti&ities. A contro&ersial figure, 9ifflin lost fa&or with Washington and was part of the -onway -abala rather notorious plan to replace Washington with General 6oratio Gates. And 9ifflin narrowly 'issed court;'artial action o&er his handling of funds by resigning his co''ission in "##$. 7n spite of these proble'sand of repeated charges that he was a drunkard9ifflin continued to be elected to positions of responsibilityas 2resident and Go&ernor of 2ennsyl&ania, delegate to the -onstitutional -on&ention, as well as the highest office in the landwhere he ser&ed fro' Ao&e'ber , "#$ to Ao&e'ber =%, "#$). 9ost of 9ifflin4s significant contributions occurred in his earlier yearsin the ?irst and Second -ontinental -ongresses he was fir' in his stand for independence and for fighting for it, and he helped obtain both 'en and supplies for Washington4s ar'y in the early critical period. 7n "#$), as 2resident, he signed the treaty with Great :ritain which ended the war. Although a delegate to the -onstitutional -on&ention, he did not 'ake a significant contributionbeyond signing the docu'ent. As Go&ernor of 2ennsyl&ania, although he was accused of negligence, he supported i'pro&e'ents of roads, and refor'ed the State penal and 0udicial syste's. 6e had gradually beco'e sy'pathetic to *efferson4s principles regarding State4s rights, e&en so, he directed the 2ennsyl&ania 'ilitia to support the ?ederal ta. collectors in the Whiskey >ebellion. 7n spite of charges of corruption, the affable 9ifflin re'ained a popular figure. A 'agnetic personality and an effecti&e speaker, he 'anaged to hold a &ariety of electi&e offices for al'ost thirty years of the critical >e&olutionary period. Ri hard Henry #ee (1732-17"4) 6is resolution "that these United -olonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States," appro&ed by the -ontinental -ongress *uly =, "##+, was the first official act of the United -olonies that set the' irre&ocably on the road to independence. 7t was not surprising that it ca'e fro' 8ee4s penas early as "#+$ he proposed the idea of co''ittees of correspondence a'ong the colonies, and in "##) he proposed that the colonies 'eet in what beca'e the -ontinental -ongress. ?ro' the first, his eye was on independence. A wealthy 5irginia planter whose ancestors had been granted e.tensi&e lands by 3ing -harles 77, 8ee disdained the traditional aristocratic role and

the aristocratic &iew. 7n the 6ouse of :urgesses he flatly denounced the practice of sla&ery. 6e saw independent A'erica as "an asylu' where the unhappy 'ay find solace, and the persecuted repose." 7n "#+), when news of the proposed Sta'p Act reached 5irginia, 8ee was a 'e'ber of the co''ittee of the 6ouse of :urgesses that drew up an address to the 3ing, an official protest against such a ta.. After the ta. was established, 8ee organi/ed the citi/ens of his county into the West'oreland Association, a group pledged to buy no :ritish goods until the Sta'p Act was repealed. At the ?irst -ontinental -ongress, 8ee persuaded representati&es fro' all the colonies to adopt this non;i'portation idea, leading to the for'ation of the -ontinental Association, which was one of the first steps toward union of the colonies. 8ee also proposed to the ?irst -ontinental -ongress that a 'ilitia be organi/ed and ar'edthe year before the first shots were fired at 8e.ingtonE but this and other proposals of his were considered too radicalat the ti'e. 1hree days after 8ee introduced his resolution, in *une of "##+, he was appointed by -ongress to the co''ittee responsible for drafting a declaration of independence, but he was called ho'e when his wife fell ill, and his place was taken by his young protGgG, 1ho'as *efferson. 1hus 8ee 'issed the chance to draft the docu'entthough his influence greatly shaped it and he was able to return in ti'e to sign it. 6e was elected 2residentser&ing fro' Ao&e'ber !, "#$) to Ao&e'ber ==, "#$( when he was succeeded by the second ad'inistration of *ohn 6ancock. @lected to the -onstitutional -on&ention, 8ee refused to attend, but as a 'e'ber of the -ongress of the -onfederation, he contributed to another great docu'ent, the Aorthwest <rdinance, which pro&ided for the for'ation of new States fro' the Aorthwest 1erritory. When the co'pleted -onstitution was sent to the States for ratification, 8ee opposed it as anti;de'ocratic and anti;-hristian. 6owe&er, as one of 5irginia4s first Senators, he helped assure passage of the a'end'ents that, he felt, corrected 'any of the docu'ent4s gra&est faultsthe :ill of >ights. 6e was the great uncle of >obert @. 8ee and the scion of a great fa'ily tradition. .athaniel /orha' (1738-17"() Another self;'ade 'an, Gorha' was one of the 'any successful :oston 'erchants who risked all he had for the cause of freedo'. 6e was first elected to the 9assachusetts General -ourt in "##". 6is honesty and integrity won his acclai' and was thus a'ong the first delegates chose to ser&e in the -ontinental -ongress. 6e re'ained in public ser&ice throughout the war and into the -onstitutional period, though his greatest contribution was his call for a stronger central go&ern'ent. :ut e&en though he was an a&id federalist, he did not belie&e that the union couldor e&en shouldbe 'aintained peaceably for 'ore than a hundred years. 6e was con&inced that e&entually, in order to a&oid ci&il or cultural war, s'aller regional interests should pursue an independent course. 6is support of a new constitution was rooted 'ore in prag'atis' than ideology. When *ohn 6ancock was unable to co'plete his second ter' as 2resident, Gorha' was elected to succeed hi'ser&ing fro' *une +, "#$+ to ?ebruary ", "#$#. 7t was during this ti'e that the -ongress actually entertained the idea of asking 2rince 6enry the brother of ?rederick 77 of 2russiaand :onnie 2rince -harliethe leader of the ill;fated Scottish *acobite >ising and heir of the Stuart royal lineto consider the possibility of establishing a constitutional 'onarch in A'erica. 7t was a plan that had 'uch to reco''end it but e&entually the ad&ocates of republicanis' held the day. ,uring the final years of his life, Gorha' was concerned with se&eral speculati&e land deals which nearly cost hi' his entire fortune. 0rth$r &t1 2lair (1734-1818) :orn and educated in @dinburgh, Scotland during the tu'ultuous days of the final *acobite >ising and the 1artan Suppression, St. -lair was the only president of the United States born and bred on foreign soil. 1hough 'ost of his fa'ily and friends abandoned their de&astated ho'eland in the years following the :attle of -ullodenafter which nearly a third of the land was depopulated through e'igration to A'ericahe stayed behind to learn the ways of the hated 6ano&erian @nglish in the >oyal Aa&y. 6is plan was to learn of the ene'y4s 'ilitary 'ight in order to fight another day. ,uring the global conflict of the Se&en Cears Wargenerally known as the ?rench and 7ndian Warhe was stationed in the A'erican theater. Afterward, he decided to settle in 2ennsyl&ania where 'any of his kin had established the'sel&es. 6is ci&ic;'indedness Duickly beca'e apparentB he helped to organi/e both the Aew *ersey and the 2ennsyl&ania 'ilitias, led the -ontinental Ar'y4s -anadian e.pedition, and was elected -ongress. 6is long years of training in the ene'y ca'p was finally paying off. 6e was elected 2resident in "#$#and he ser&ed fro' ?ebruary = of that year until *anuary =" of the ne.t. ?ollowing his ter' of duty in the highest office in the land, he beca'e the first Go&ernor of the Aorthwest 1erritory and the founder of -incinnati. 1hough he briefly supported the idea of creating a constitutional 'onarchy under the Stuart4s :onnie 2rince -harlie, he was a strident Anti;?ederalistbelie&ing that the proposed federal constitution would e&entually allow

for the intrusion of go&ern'ent into &irtually e&ery sphere and aspect of life. 6e e&en predicted that under the &astly e.panded centrali/ed power of the state the ta.ing powers of bureaucrats and other unelected officials would e&entually confiscate as 'uch as a Duarter of the inco'e of the citi/ensa notion that see'ed laughable at the ti'e but that has pro&en to be o'inously 'odest in light of our current go&ern'ental le&iathan. St. -lair li&ed to see the hated @nglish tyrants who destroyed his ho'eland defeated. :ut he despaired that his adopted ho'e 'ight actually create si'ilar tyrannies and i'pose the' upon the'sel&es. 2yr$% /riffin (173(-17"() 8ike 2eyton >andolph, he was trained in 8ondon4s 7nner 1e'ple to be a lawyerand thus was counted a'ong his nation4s legal elite. 8ike so 'any other 5irginians, he was an anti;federalist, though he e&entually accepted the new -onstitution with the pro'ise of the :ill of >ights as a hedge against the establish'ent of an A'erican 'onarchy which still had a good deal of currency. 1he Articles of -onfederation afforded such freedo's that he had beco'e con&inced that e&en with the incu'bent loss of liberty, so'e new for' of go&ern'ent would be reDuired. A protGgG of George Washingtonha&ing worked with hi' on se&eral speculati&e land deals in the Westhe was a reluctant supporter of the -onstitutional ratifying process. 7t was during his ter' in the office of the 2residency the last before the new national co'pact went into effectthat ratification was for'ali/ed and finali/ed. 6e ser&ed as the nation4s chief e.ecuti&e fro' *anuary ==, "#$$ until George Washington4s inauguration on April !, "#$%.