RICHARD BASSETT of DELAWARE
Richard Bassett, a lawyer and statesman, was one of the signers of the United States Constitution for the state of Delaware. A friendly, wise, and conservative man, Bassett was one of Delaware's first two United States senators. He started a unique dynasty in which he, his son-in-law, two grandsons, his great-grandson, and his great-great-grandson all became U.S. senators from Delaware. Bassett was active in the establishment of the Methodist church in the United States, and was a close friend of Francis Asbury, the first Methodist bishop.
Inherited an estate of six thousand acres
Bassett was born in Cecil County, Maryland, on April 2, 1745. He was the son of a tavern-keeper, but at an early age he was adopted by a wealthy lawyer by the name of Lawson. His adopted father educated him and trained him to be a lawyer. Upon Lawson's death, his adopted son inherited a six-thousand-acre estate known as Bohemia Manor on the Elk River near the Delaware-Maryland boundary line.
Basset married twice. His first wife was Ann Ennals, a member of a prominent Maryland family. When his first wife died, he married again; this time, the attractive daughter of the Bruff family of Talbot County, Maryland. Bassett had only one child, a daughter.
Although Bassett maintained his estate of Bohemia Manor in Maryland as chief residence, his law practice largely was in Delaware where he had houses at both Dover and Wilmington.
During the Revolutionary War, Bassett was captain of the Dover troop of light-horse militia. He was not particularly active in the fighting, however, because he was elected to the state legislature in 1776. He served in the legislature for the next ten years and also was a delegate to the state constitutional convention.
A distinguished record of government service
Bassett took as his protege a young law student by the name of James Bayard who married Bassett's only daughter. Bassett and his son-in-law, who was more than twenty years his junior, developed a close family, professional, and political friendship that lasted until their deaths in the same year. They are reported to have carried on many friendly arguments with Bassett's saying, "All you know I taught you;" and Bayard replying, "You taught me all you knew, and I know besides, I taught myself." Bayard became Delaware's first member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789 while Bassett served in the U.S. Senate; and Bayard provided the decisive Federalist vote that gave the presidency to Thomas Jefferson in his contest with Aaron Burr in 1801. Bayard later served as U.S. senator from Delaware from 1805 to 1813. Bassett's grandsons Richard Bayard and James Bayard II both represented Delaware as U.S. senators. His great-grandson Thomas Bayard served in the U.S. senate from 1869 to 1885, then became Secretary of State under President Grover Cleveland. His great-great grandson Thomas Bayard II served in the U.S. Senate from 1922 to 1929.
In 1778, Bassett first met Francis Asbury at the home of Judge Thomas White in Maryland. At the time, Methodists were generally regarded as Tories, and Bassett was alarmed that White would invite a Methodist to be a guest in his house. However, after conversing with Asbury, Bassett became impressed with the wisdom of the English missionary and was convinced that principles of Methodism had no bearing on the political struggle with Great Britain.
In 1778, Bassett first met Francis Asbury at the home of Judge Thomas White in Maryland. At the time, Methodists were generally regarded as Tories, and Bassett was alarmed that White would invite a Methodist to be a guest in his house. However, after conversing with Asbury, Bassett became impressed with the wisdom of the English missionary and was convinced that principles of Methodism had no bearing on the political struggle with Great Britain.
Repulsed mob violence
The story is told that in 1779 White came to visit Bassett at his home in Dover; a crowd gathered in front of the house demanding that White be turned over to them for punishment because he was a known Methodist and consequently that made him a Tory. Bassett put on his uniform as a captain in the militia and went to the door carrying his sword and pistols. He told the mob that White was not a Tory and that they would have to kill him first if they wanted to take White. Upon hearing this, the mob dispersed.
Asbury wrote of a visit he made to Bassett's home in February, 1780: "Went home with Lawyer Bassett, a very conversant and affectionate man, who from his own acknowledgment appears to be sick of sin."
Bassett financed the construction of a Methodist church in Dover in 1784, and himself became a Methodist lay preacher. In his sermons he vigorously attacked skeptics who refused to have faith in anything they could not see or touch. He said he could not understand "how a man could believe by this rule that he had a back, as he could not see it unless he had a neck like crane or a goose."
Asbury wrote of a visit he made to Bassett's home in February, 1780: "Went home with Lawyer Bassett, a very conversant and affectionate man, who from his own acknowledgment appears to be sick of sin."
Bassett financed the construction of a Methodist church in Dover in 1784, and himself became a Methodist lay preacher. In his sermons he vigorously attacked skeptics who refused to have faith in anything they could not see or touch. He said he could not understand "how a man could believe by this rule that he had a back, as he could not see it unless he had a neck like crane or a goose."
Favored a stronger national government
After the Revolutionary War, Bassett became a leader of those in his state who believed it was necessary to revise the Articles of Confederation in order to strengthen the national government. In 1786 he attended the Annapolis Convention as a delegate from Delaware, and the next year he was elected as a representative to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. After helping write and signing the United States Constitution, Bassett took an important role in the Delaware state convention that ratified the Constitution in December, 1787, the first state to do so.
On October 24, 1788, Bassett and George Read, another signer of the Constitution, were chosen as the state's first two U.S. senators. The new senate was supposed to convene on March 4, 1789, but many of the senators, including Bassett, were late in arriving. It was not until April 6, 1789, that enough senators were present to make a quorum.
On October 24, 1788, Bassett and George Read, another signer of the Constitution, were chosen as the state's first two U.S. senators. The new senate was supposed to convene on March 4, 1789, but many of the senators, including Bassett, were late in arriving. It was not until April 6, 1789, that enough senators were present to make a quorum.
Cast the first vote in favor of Washington as capital
Bassett took part in many important committees in the Senate as laws were established under which the new government of the United States would operate. He was one of eight members appointed to a committee to draw up a bill "organizing the judiciary of the United States." The committee made the important decision to establish federal lower courts instead of relying on state courts as lower courts. Bassett also was active in the consideration of whether the President should be given the power to remove from office persons that he had appointed. Bassett favored the addition of a clause granting the President this right in bills establishing the executive departments. Opponents of the measure felt that the President inherently had the power through his right of appointment, and that the addition of the clause would indicate that the Senate could withdraw the power of Presidential removal if they desired to do so. In close vote, Bassett viewpoint won out. Bassett also was an advocate of moving the capital from New York City, and, when the measure to establish the District of Columbia on the Potomac River was voted upon the Senate, Bassett had the privilege of being the first senator to cast his vote in favor of the bill.
Served as governor of Delaware
Retiring from the U.S. Senate in 1793, Bassett devoted the rest of his life to affairs within the state of Delaware. In 1793, he was appointed chief justice of the court of common pleas of Delaware, a position that he held for six years. During this period, he served as a presidential elector in 1797, casting his vote for John Adams for President. At the age of 53, Bassett received the highest honor the state of Delaware could confer, being elected governor for the term of 1799 to 1801.
Bassett played a minor role in the famous case of Marbury vs. Madison that established the power of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of congressional legislation. President John Adams, in one of his last acts before turning the presidency over to Thomas Jefferson in 1801, appointed Bassett and a number of other Federalists as circuit court judges. These appointees became known as "midnight judges" because of their last-minute appointments, and Jefferson refused to recognize their rights to the offices. In the case of Marbury vs. Madison, the Supreme Court upheld Jefferson's right to refuse to recognize the appointments, and, more importantly, it ruled that Judiciary Act 1789 was unconstitutional.
In the last years of his life, Bassett spent most of his time at his Bohemia Manor estate. In 1808 and 1809 he held two large Methodist camp-meetings on his estate. He particularly enjoyed listening to Negro spirituals at the camp meetings. Bassett had become partially paralyzed and found in difficult to travel. Methodist Bishop Asbury, who visited him in 1815, wrote: "My long-loved friend Judge Bassett, some time past a paralytic, is lately stricken on the other side and suffers much in his helpless state." Shortly after, on September 15, 1815, Bassett died at the age of 70.
Bassett played a minor role in the famous case of Marbury vs. Madison that established the power of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of congressional legislation. President John Adams, in one of his last acts before turning the presidency over to Thomas Jefferson in 1801, appointed Bassett and a number of other Federalists as circuit court judges. These appointees became known as "midnight judges" because of their last-minute appointments, and Jefferson refused to recognize their rights to the offices. In the case of Marbury vs. Madison, the Supreme Court upheld Jefferson's right to refuse to recognize the appointments, and, more importantly, it ruled that Judiciary Act 1789 was unconstitutional.
In the last years of his life, Bassett spent most of his time at his Bohemia Manor estate. In 1808 and 1809 he held two large Methodist camp-meetings on his estate. He particularly enjoyed listening to Negro spirituals at the camp meetings. Bassett had become partially paralyzed and found in difficult to travel. Methodist Bishop Asbury, who visited him in 1815, wrote: "My long-loved friend Judge Bassett, some time past a paralytic, is lately stricken on the other side and suffers much in his helpless state." Shortly after, on September 15, 1815, Bassett died at the age of 70.
Reference: Whitney, David C.. 1965. Encyclopedia Editor and Historian."Founders of Freedom in America-Biographies of the Signers of the Constitution of the United States." Lives of The Men Who Signed The Constitution of the United States And So Helped To Established The United States of America. Published By J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company. Chicago, Illinois. Pgs. 45-48
No comments:
Post a Comment