( William Findley was an important, if lesser-known, poli...)
William Findley was an important, if lesser-known, politician during the early national period of American history. He was a captain in the Revolutionary army, an Anti-Federalist, and a forty-year veteran politician of both state and national office. In the Pennsylvania ratifying convention he had vigorously opposed the approval of the proposed Constitution because he felt that it did not guarantee the protection of some basic liberties such as jury trial; religious freedom; and freedom of speech, assembly, press, etc. After the Bill of Rights was adopted, Findley became a strong supporter of the Constitution. Observations on The Two Sons of Oil” was written in 1811 in response to the Reverend Samuel B. Wylie’s work, The Two Sons of Oil, which was published in 1803. In this work of radical Presbyterian theology, Wylie pointed out what he considered to be deficiencies in the constitutions of both Pennsylvania and the United States and declared them to be immoral. Findley’s response to Wylie’s criticisms in Observations showed that it was neither the purpose nor the design of the United States government to have a federal religion and a federal creed. In a broader sense the book is also a passionate defense of a civil government guided by moral principles that allow for essential freedoms. Findley’s defense of religious liberty and the American constitutions affords a grand window through which to view early American understanding about the relationship between politics and faith and why it is essential for both liberty and piety to resist any attempt to unite government and Church. This new Liberty Fund edition will make this work available once again; Observations on The Two Sons of Oil” has not been republished since its original publication in 1812. Scholars of American history, government, and religion will appreciate the new availability of this book, which provides critical insight into Americans’ conception of liberty in the nation’s formative years. In addition, readers concerned with renewed debates around the world on the separation of church and state will appreciate the timelessness of Findley’s arguments for secular government and its compatibility with religious beliefs. William Findley was born in Ireland and emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1763. He served in the Second through the Fifth Congresses, and again in the Eighth through the Fourteenth Congresses, earning the designation Father of the House” before he retired from Congress in 1817. He died in 1821. John Caldwell is retired from Augustana College, where he was Director of the Library and Professor of History. Himself a native of western Pennsylvania, Professor Caldwell is the author of George R. Stewart (1981) and William Findley from West of the Mountains: A Politician in Pennsylvania, 17831791 (2000).
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(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an important historical work, maintaining the same format as the original work. While some publishers have opted to apply OCR (optical character recognition) technology to the process, we believe this leads to sub-optimal results (frequent typographical errors, strange characters and confusing formatting) and does not adequately preserve the historical character of the original artifact. We believe this work is culturally important in its original archival form. While we strive to adequately clean and digitally enhance the original work, there are occasionally instances where imperfections such as blurred or missing pages, poor pictures or errant marks may have been introduced due to either the quality of the original work or the scanning process itself. Despite these occasional imperfections, we have brought it back into print as part of our ongoing global book preservation commitment, providing customers with access to the best possible historical reprints. We appreciate your understanding of these occasional imperfections, and sincerely hope you enjoy seeing the book in a format as close as possible to that intended by the original publisher.
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(Lang:- eng, Vol-5, Pages 15, It is the reproduction of th...)
Lang:- eng, Vol-5, Pages 15, It is the reproduction of the original edition published long back in black & white format 1881. Hardcover with sewing binding with glossy laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, professionally processed without changing its contents.We found this book important for the readers who want to know about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. Print on Demand.
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William Findley was a descendant of one of the signers of the Solemn League and Covenant in Scotland. His grandparents emigrated to North Ireland during the persecution of the Presbyterians by the last two Stuart kings. In their adopted country, where William Findley was born, the members of the family played a conspicuous part in the thrilling events of the time.
While the formal education of William was limited, he had a strong intellect, which he cultivated by reading.
He landed in America in 1763 and established himself in a flourishing Scotch-Irish settlement near Waynesboro, in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania. For several years he worked at the weaver’s trade, to which he had been apprenticed in Ireland, and at the same time he taught school for a number of terms.
After his marriage in 1769, he purchased a farm and settled thereon. He identified himself with the interests of the colonists in the long controversy with the mother country and vigorously espoused their cause. He became a member of the first committee of observation from his county, and upon the opening of hostilities he entered the army and soon rose to the rank of captain.
Near the close of the war he moved beyond the mountains into Westmoreland County to a farm near the present site of Latrobe. He was elected to the council of censors, on which he served from 1783 to 1790, and held various other public offices, among which were those of assemblyman, state supreme executive councilman, and delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1789-90. Findley displayed early in life that ability for leadership which won for him a long and creditable career in public service. In 1791 he was elected to Congress lin County, Pennsylvania.
In his adopted state Findlay quickly rose to prominence. In 1798 he became a member of the first territorial legislative council and three years later was appointed the first receiver of public moneys in the newly established land office at Cincinnati. The following year he was appointed United States marshal for the District of Ohio, being the first to hold this office.
He served two terms as mayor of Cincinnati, in 1805-06, and again in 1810-11. At the time of the Burr conspiracy (1806) he held the rank of brigadier-general in the state militia, and in company with Major-General John S. Gano was ordered by Governor Tiffin to take charge of the military operations at Cincinnati and help in suppressing the proposed expedition from Blennerhasset’s Island.
At the outbreak of the War of 1812 General Findlay was placed in command of the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry with the rank of colonel in the regular army. He was present in Detroit at the surrender of General William Hull, which he vigorously denounced (J. G. Forbes, ’ Report of the Trial of Brigadier-Gen. Hull, 1814’ pp. 29, 45, passim).
In the family correspondence there is a letter which states that General Findlay was urged “to put Hull in irons, but he would not, as he said there is [was] no precedent for it” (Goss, post, III, 27). He was commended for his services at Detroit by Gen. Hull and was promoted to the rank of major-general in the state militia in w'hich capacity he served for many years.
The year following his retirement from Congress he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for governor but was defeated by Robert Lucas. A lawyer by profession, an active officer in the state militia, one of the proprietors of the Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette, and a partner in the Cincinnati Bell, Brass & Iron Foundry, his interests touched many aspects of the life of his local community. As a stanch supporter of President Jackson’s policies, he was an influential Ohio Democrat.
His sterling integrity, unquestioned patriotism, and warm hospitality gained for him the respect of his fellow citizens. Although he had a natural where he served continuously until 1817 with the exception of four years, from 1799 to 1803, when he served in the state Senate. Although openly hostile to the Federalist legislative program, he was consulted frequently by Washington and his cabinet concerning frontier problems.
Especially significant was Findley’s persistent opposition to the early practise of referring practically all questions of importance to the heads of departments for their consideration. It was upon a recommendation made by him that the first standing committee, that of ways and means, was appointed.
Findley was one of the prominent men identified with the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794. Feeling as he did that the tax on whiskey was exorbitant and unjust, he encouraged open resistance to the government at first. Later, however, he counseled moderation and obedience to the law and displayed real statesmanship in working for a compromise.
In 1796 he published a History of the Insurrection in the Four Western Counties of Pennsylvania, in which he attempted to vindicate his own position as well as to furnish an acceptable apology for those who participated actively in the insurrection. Throughout his public career Findley was a faithful guardian of the interests of the frontiersmen, who were his associates and his friends.
In June 1812 he began the erection of Fort Findlay, which was named in his honor, and upon the site of this fort the present town of Findlay, in Hancock County, was founded. In 1834 he was elected to Congress as a Jacksonian Democrat from the 16t district, composed of Hamilton and Clermont counties. He continued to represent this district until 1833 when he was succeeded by Robert T. Lytle.
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
(Lang:- eng, Vol-5, Pages 15, It is the reproduction of th...)
( William Findley was an important, if lesser-known, poli...)
Indeed, he was a consummate politician. Because of his large personal acquaintance and his inherent ability he became a formidable factor in shaping public opinion not only in western Pennsylvania but throughout the state. An Anti-Federalist, he vigorously opposed the ratification of the Federal Constitution and later Hamilton’s financial measures.
In 1793 he and his wife, Jane Irwin, removed from Pennsylvania to Virginia, thence to Kentucky, and ultimately settled in Cincinnati, Ohio.
