When was nathaniel gorham born

Already well known in Charlestown by , he began his public career as a notary, soon winning election to the colonial legislature where he emerged an ardent Patriot. During the Revolution his political star continued to rise when he displayed a special talent for administration that proved crucial to the wartime government of his state.

In particular he served on the Board of War, which organized Massachusetts' military logistics and manpower When the Continental Army left Massachusetts for the campaign in New York, the Board of War not only provided for the coastal defenses of the region, but also supported the military effort in the northeastern section of the state, where American forces were engaged in several important expeditions against British bases in Nova Scotia. Gorham also was a delegate to Massachusetts' first constitutional convention and represented his community in the upper and lower houses of the new state legislature, serving several terms as speaker of the lower house.

In recognition of Gorham's work during the war, Massachusetts appointed him a delegate to the Continental Congress and where for a period he served as president. Despite his lack of formal legal training, the state also appointed him judge of Middlesex County's court of common pleas Gorham played an influential part in the Constitutional Convention, speaking frequently, sitting on the Committee of Detail, and serving as chairman of the Committee of the Whole.

Representing the commercial-cosmopolitan interests in Massachusetts, he pushed for a central government strong enough to protect interstate commerce, promote international trade, and regulate the use of paper money. Boston: Printed by Samuel Hall, Featured Search Historical Highlights of the House. Learn about Foreign Leader Addresses. Featured Search the People of the House. Majority Leaders. Bean Soup! Featured Black Americans in Congress. Featured Mace of the U.

House of Represen- tatives. House Trivia Timeline. Featured Resources for National History Day In , Gorham was also elected delegate to the United States in Congress Assembled, serving through The research, however, indicates these claims to be unfounded especially of President Gorham who played a major role in framing the Constitution of Massachusetts in He also chaired, on frequent occasions, the Constitutional Convention of and signed the final document.

Nathaniel Gorham, in , was considered by many delegates an esteemed veteran of the United States in Congress Assembled serving , , and now in John Hancock, the duly elected President since November of , had not even made a passing appearance in New York to assert his position as the presiding officer of the unicameral federal government. Six months later, Ramsay still found himself in the Chair and on May 15th resigned the office as his credentials as a Delegate of South Carolina had expired.

Three days later, on May 18th, Nathaniel Gorham made the decision to postpone the September meeting of agents to negotiate a settlement to the Georgia-South Carolina boundary dispute. Congress, also during May, took up the issue of coinage and the establishment of a mint. Enclosed is the report of the Treasury Board on the subjects of the Mint.

Congress have not yet taken any resolution upon it; but will do it in a few days When it is most probable that the American Dollar will be made exactly of the same value as the New Spanish Dollar.

This act required an new Presidential election as his term did not expire until early November. Hancock has sent his resignation as President and Tomorrow I suppose Mr.

Gorham will be elected his successor. You understand the meaning of this Appointment as well as I can explain it; no State is here from New England except Massachusetts. Nathaniel Gorham was elected. Deficiency in the funding of the Federal government continued to plague the United States and the Presidency. The States were also in difficult debt positions attempting to raise capital by selling land.

But having forgotten to send it with the joynt Letter I now enclose it by which you will see Sir that many of the States are very deficient and that Massachusetts does not hold that rank in her payments which she formerly did. Unless the States make great exertion the very appearance of the federal Government must cease; the civil list being without their pay for almost two quarters.

Exertion is the more necessary as the collection of the outstanding taxes is the only dependence for every purpose. New York having made their import [impost] Law upon such conditions as renders totally inadmissible consistent with justice to the other States and as they do not meet again until winter nothing further can be done in the import [impost] this year; it is, however, necessary that Massachusetts should determine wither they will grant the supplementary funds as Pennsylvania have made it a condition that their import shall not take place until all the States have granted those funds.

To understand the seriousness of post war finances, let us take a paragraph or two and examine the facts behind the public debt of Massachusetts. The population, meanwhile, had only increased to , people. Additionally, inflation on both federal and state paper currency was rampant.

The time was ripe, especially with John Hancock dashing their hopes for recovery by failing to take office in , for rebellion. Maryland and Virginia, in an attempt to eliminate trade barriers and spur on entrepreneurship, held the Mount Vernon Conference in March This conference achieved an accord on the maritime use of the Chesapeake Bay, fishing and harbor rights, criminal jurisdiction, import duties, currency control, and boundary issues resolving many important issues but only between the two states.

The success of this interstate diplomacy prompted James Madison to draft a resolution, in the Virginia legislature, to invite all the States to 2nd conference dealing with domestic and foreign trade issues that were stifling any hope for a national recovery.

Despite the January call for a conference, the summer of saw no gathering of the States to address these dire issues. Even former Presidents, as evidence by this letter from Richard Henry Lee to President Gorham, were unable to persuade Congress to pay debts, now five to ten years in the arrears, to patriots in dire need of reimbursement. I am perfectly satisfied that this demand of Mr. Schweighauser will be found, on due enquiry, to be right; and that this worthy Gentleman who has been long injuriously baffled of his honest demand plainly against the will of Congress, will now be fully paid by the effectual measures that Congress in their wisdom and justice shall direct.

Pierre Landais, was given a fair hearing by The Board of Treasury. Due to a depleted treasury and a host of other unpaid claims this debt remained unpaid until the 19th Century. The Nation was ripe for rebellion. The citizens of this county met at Hatfield from the 23rd to the 25th and set forth, in great detail, what they believed to be the grievances of the post-war people.

The officers of government not being annually dependant on the representative of the people, in General Court assembled, for their salaries. All civil officers of government, not being annually elected by Representatives of the People, in the General Court Assembled. The present mode of taxation as it operates unequally between the polls and estates, and between landed and mercantile interests.

The want of a sufficient medium of trade, to remedy the mischief arising from the scarcity of money. The neglect of settlement of important matters between the Commonwealth and the United States in Congress Assembled, relating to monies and averages. Vote, this convention recommended to several towns in this county that they instruct their Representatives, to use their influence in the next General Court, to have emitted a bank of paper money, subject to a depreciation; making it a tender in all payments, equal to silver and gold, to be issued in order to call in the Commonwealth securities.

Voted, that whereas several of the above articles of grievances, arise from defects in the constitution; therefore a revision of the same ought to take place. Voted, that it be recommended by this convention to the several towns in this coun try, that they petition the Governor to call the General Court immediately together, in order that the other grievances complained of, may by legislature, be redressed.

Voted, that this convention recommend it to the inhabitants of this county, that they abstain from all mobs and unlawful assemblies, until a constitutional method of redress can be obtained.