Jonathat Roberts was a politician, who served terms as a Member of US House of Representatives and as a Senator from Pennsylvania.
Background
Jonathat Roberts was born on August 16. 1771 in Pennsylvania. He was a son of Jonathan and Anna (Thomas) Roberts and the descendant of John Roberts, a Welsh Friend who emigrated to Pennsylvania in William Penn's time, passed his early childhood in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County. The boy received private tutoring, learned farming, and acquired a fondness for books under the guidance of his mother, who taught him to appreciate the ancient Stoics.
Education
Roberts received private tutoring, learned farming, and acquired a fondness for books under the guidance of his mother, who taught him to appreciate the ancient Stoics. After apprenticeship to a wheelwright, he returned to farming.
Career
Roberts joined the Republicans in wresting control of Montgomery County from the Federalists. He helped to make up the majority of two in the lower house of the Assembly, 1799-1800, confronting the Senate Federalist majority of one.
His next activity was in the state Senate, 1807-11, from which he was carried, along with other "war hawks, " into the federal Congress, 1811 to 1814. There he confidently faced a war with the traditional enemy, "I repose safely in the maxim, 'Never to despair of the Republic. "
While the vote for war with Great Britain was pending, he prevented delay through indefinite adjournment by cannily proposing to suspend members' pay while adjourned, and at a crucial moment he called for the previous question (1).
As a committeeman on ways and means he guarded the national pursestrings and took the role of floor defender of the secretary of the treasury, Albert Gallatin, against Cheves, Calhoun, and Lowndes. At Gallatin's instance he visited Governor Snyder to urge veto of a Pennsylvania bank bill.
In February 1814, factional warfare deprived Michael Leib of his seat in the Senate, and the Pennsylvania legislature placed Roberts in it.
There he marvelled at the peaceful years ensuing, "I never knew a time so politically tranquil. There he marvelled at the peaceful years ensuing, "I never knew a time so politically tranquil. . There is nothing indicative of that acrimony we have long been accustomed to" (2).
But Roberts' existence speedily became normal, for from his cordial disapproval of Jackson's Florida foray sprang a life-long antipathy between them.
The Maine-Missouri question also brought conflict, for Roberts stoutly defended a plan of his own to prevent the introduction of any more slaves into Missouri (3).
After leaving the Senate in 1821, he endeavored to diminish Jackson's presidential chances, being "very decided" (4) that the Democracy needed Gallatin as a candidate in 1824 and serving in the Pennsylvania House, 1823-26, to stem the tide of Jacksonianism. The economic advancement of his own state he also held dear, advocating internal improvements, serving on the canal commission, and attending pioneer tariff conventions. After membership upon Biddle's bank board in 1836 he naturally gravitated into the Whig camp, supporting Clay, and he nominated Tyler for vice-president at the Harrisburg convention in 1839.
When made collector of the port of Philadelphia he balked over the spoils system, and the president removed him in 1842.
Achievements
Politics
Nurtured upon the excitements of the whiskey and house tax rebellions and breathing naturally the atmosphere of violent partisanship characteristic of that period, he equipped himself carefully for polemical politics and joined the Republicans in wresting control of Montgomery County from the Federalists. Nurtured upon the excitements of the whiskey and house tax rebellions and breathing naturally the atmosphere of violent partisanship characteristic of that period, he equipped himself carefully for polemical politics and joined the Republicans in wresting control of Montgomery County from the Federalists.
After leaving the Senate in 1821, he endeavored to diminish Jackson's presidential chances, being "very decided" (Life of Gallatin, post, p. 588) that the Democracy needed Gallatin as a candidate in 1824 and serving in the Pennsylvania House, 1823-26, to stem the tide of Jacksonianism.
After membership upon Biddle's bank board in 1836 he naturally gravitated into the Whig camp, supporting Clay, and he nominated Tyler for vice-president at the Harrisburg convention in 1839.
Membership
membership upon Biddle's bank board in 1836
Connections
In 1813 he married Eliza Hite Bushby of Washington.