Isabella Carter
Oliver Ellsworth (1745-1807) was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat. He played a significant role in shaping the US Constitution, serving on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft. Ellsworth also helped formulate the Connecticut Compromise, which resolved the debate between more and less populous states regarding representation in Congress. However, despite his contributions, Ellsworth did not sign the final document. He left the convention early, returning to his state to attend to judicial duties, but he actively supported the Constitution during ratification debates and promoted its adoption.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Oliver Ellsworth sign the Constitution? | No, he left the convention before the final document was signed. |
| Role in the Constitution | Ellsworth was a framer of the Constitution and served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution. He also played a role in the adoption of the First Amendment and other provisions within the Bill of Rights. |
| Other notable contributions | Ellsworth was the chief author of the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established the Supreme Court's power to overturn state supreme court decisions contrary to the Constitution. He also played a role in the Connecticut Compromise, which resolved representation disputes between more and less populous states. |
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What You'll Learn
Oliver Ellsworth's role in the Committee of Detail
Oliver Ellsworth was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat. He was born in 1745 in Windsor, Connecticut, and attended the College of New Jersey, helping to found the American Whig–Cliosophic Society. In 1777, he became the state attorney for Hartford County, Connecticut, and was selected as a delegate to the Continental Congress, serving during the remainder of the American Revolutionary War. He also served as a state judge during the 1780s and was selected as a delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which produced the United States Constitution.
Ellsworth played an important role at the Constitutional Convention, where he was one of the authors of the Connecticut Compromise, which provided for equal state representation in the U.S. Senate and representation in the U.S. House of Representatives according to population. This compromise was a keystone of the U.S. federal system. He also served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution based on resolutions that had already been passed by the Convention. The Convention deliberations were interrupted from July 26 to August 6, 1787, while the committee, which included James Wilson, John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, and Nathaniel Gorham, completed its task.
Although Ellsworth left the Convention before it ended and did not sign the final document, he wrote the Letters of a Landholder to promote its ratification. He also played a dominant role in Connecticut's 1788 ratification convention, emphasizing that judicial review guaranteed federal sovereignty. Ellsworth was the chief author of the Judiciary Act of 1789, which shaped the federal judiciary of the United States and established the Supreme Court's power to overturn state supreme court decisions contrary to the United States Constitution. He also played a role in the adoption of the First Amendment and other provisions within the Bill of Rights.
In addition to his work on the Constitution, Ellsworth had a successful law practice and served on various committees in Connecticut, including the Marine Committee, the Board of Treasury, and the Committee of Appeals. He was also active in his state's efforts during the Revolution, serving on the Committee of the Pay Table, which supervised Connecticut's war expenditures, and the Council of Safety, which controlled all military measures for the state. Ellsworth was a strict Calvinist, and his entire personal and public life was ordered by his religious beliefs. He firmly opposed slavery on religious grounds but supported the Southern states' right to import slaves to gain their support for the Constitution.
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Ellsworth's absence from the signing of the Constitution
Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which produced the United States Constitution. He played a role in fashioning the Connecticut Compromise, which resolved a critical debate between more and less populous states over representation in Congress. He also served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution.
Despite his involvement in the creation of the Constitution, Ellsworth did not sign the final document. He left the Convention near the end of August, before the delegates signed the Constitution. Ellsworth returned to his state to attend to his judicial duties. However, he still supported the document during ratification debates and was a leader among the Federalist Party members in the Senate.
Despite not signing the Constitution, Ellsworth played a significant role in its creation and ratification. He was a leader in the Senate, and his influence helped ensure that Connecticut ratified the Constitution. Ellsworth was also elected as one of Connecticut's inaugural senators, serving from 1789 to 1796. He went on to become the third chief justice of the United States, serving from 1796 to 1800, and played a role in the adoption of the First Amendment and other provisions within the Bill of Rights.
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Ellsworth's influence on the Connecticut Compromise
Oliver Ellsworth was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat. He was a framer of the United States Constitution, a United States senator from Connecticut, and the third chief justice of the United States.
Although Ellsworth did not sign the Constitution, he played a significant role in shaping it. He was a member of the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution. He also played a dominant role in Connecticut's 1788 ratification convention, emphasizing the importance of judicial review to guarantee federal sovereignty.
Ellsworth is particularly known for his influence on the Connecticut Compromise, which was a proposal to resolve the deadlock at the Constitutional Convention regarding representation in Congress. The large states favoured proportional representation, while the small states demanded equal representation for each state. Ellsworth, along with his fellow Connecticut delegate Roger Sherman, proposed a bicameral Congress. This consisted of two members of the Senate elected by each state legislature, while membership in the House of Representatives would be apportioned based on population. The compromise was adopted by the Convention on July 16, 1787, and became a keystone of the U.S. federal system.
Ellsworth's ability to fashion workable compromises was noted, and he was a strong believer in the overall righteousness of his political endeavours. He was a strict Calvinist and believed that his life was ordered by God's plan for mankind. This belief extended to his views on slavery, as he firmly opposed it on religious grounds but supported the Southern states' right to import slaves as he believed it would wither away as part of God's plan.
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Ellsworth's work as a senator
Oliver Ellsworth did not sign the Constitution, despite being a framer of the document and serving on the Committee of Detail, which prepared its first draft. Ellsworth left the convention early and did not sign the final document. However, he did play a role in ensuring Connecticut's ratification of the Constitution, and he was elected as one of the state's inaugural senators, serving from 1789 to 1796.
As a senator, Ellsworth was a key ally to Alexander Hamilton and aligned with the Federalist Party. He led the Senate passage of Hamiltonian proposals such as the Funding Act of 1790 and the Bank Bill of 1791. Ellsworth was also the chief author of the Judiciary Act of 1789, which shaped the federal judiciary of the United States and established the Supreme Court's power to overturn state supreme court decisions that were contrary to the United States Constitution. The Judiciary Act provided a blueprint for the federal court system that remains in modified form today.
Ellsworth also played a role in the adoption of the First Amendment and other provisions within the Bill of Rights. He helped secure ratification of the controversial Jay Treaty and served as an envoy to France from 1799 to 1800, signing the Convention of 1800 to settle the hostilities of the Quasi-War. In addition, Ellsworth was one of three individuals appointed by President John Adams to negotiate a treaty with France, which resulted in the notorious XYZ Affair.
During his time as a senator, Ellsworth was described by John Adams as "the firmest pillar of [Washington's] whole administration in the Senate." However, Senator William Maclay, a Republican from Pennsylvania, offered a more critical assessment of Ellsworth, suggesting that he lacked principles and prioritised private negotiations over public debate. Nonetheless, Ellsworth's work as a senator was significant in shaping the early political landscape of the United States.
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Ellsworth's defence of the prohibition of religious tests for federal offices
Oliver Ellsworth, a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat, played a significant role in shaping the country's early legal and political landscape. While Ellsworth is known for his contributions to various aspects of the Constitution, one notable aspect is his defence of the prohibition of religious tests for federal offices.
During the debates surrounding the ratification of the Constitution, Ellsworth actively defended the inclusion of Article VI, which stipulated that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." This provision was notably out of step with the majority of states at the time, as nine out of thirteen states had religious tests for officeholders in their constitutions.
Ellsworth's defence of this prohibition was rooted in his belief in religious liberty and his opposition to religious persecution. He argued that prohibiting religious tests for federal offices was a way "to exclude persecution and to secure... the important right of religious liberty." Ellsworth recognised the importance of freedom of conscience but also believed that governments had a responsibility to prohibit and address "gross immoralities and impieties." This included the need to curb profane swearing, blasphemy, and professed atheism.
In his writings, Ellsworth expressed his disapproval of religious tests, stating that they often led to hypocrisy and persecution. He observed that in England, where religious tests for public office were mandated, individuals were forced to become either "saints by law or hypocrites by practice." Ellsworth strongly advocated for the separation of church and state, a view that set him apart from some of his contemporaries, such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who favoured a more secular approach.
Ellsworth's influence extended beyond his contributions to the Constitution. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, as a Connecticut judge, and played a crucial role in the Connecticut Compromise, which provided for equal state representation in the Senate and representation in the House of Representatives based on population. Additionally, he was appointed as the third chief justice of the United States by President George Washington, serving from 1796 to 1800.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Oliver Ellsworth did not sign the Constitution. He left the convention before it was signed.
Yes, Oliver Ellsworth was a framer of the United States Constitution. He served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution. He also played a role in fashioning the Connecticut Compromise, which resolved a debate between more and less populous states over representation in Congress.
Oliver Ellsworth supported the document during ratification debates and was a leader among the Federalist Party members in the Senate. He also wrote the Letters of a Landholder to promote its ratification. He was elected as one of Connecticut's inaugural pair of senators, serving from 1789 to 1796.
