Simone Lawson
Pierce Butler was an Irish-born American Founding Father, soldier, and politician. He was born on July 11, 1744, in Garryhundon, County Carlow, Ireland, and served in the British Army before emigrating to the British North American colonies. He fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he signed the Constitution of the United States. As a large slaveholder, he defended American slavery for political and personal reasons and introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause into a draft of the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | July 11, 1744 |
| Birthplace | Garryhundon, County Carlow, Ireland |
| Father | Sir Richard Butler, 5th Baronet, of Cloughgrenan |
| Mother | Henrietta Percy Butler |
| Occupation | Soldier, Farmer, Statesman, Politician, Planter, Plantation Owner |
| Political Party | Federalist, Jeffersonian, Independent |
| Military Service | Officer in the British Army |
| Immigration | 1758 |
| Notable Actions | Signed the United States Constitution, Proposed Fugitive Slave Clause, Supported equal representation for backcountry residents |
| Death | February 15, 1822 |
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What You'll Learn
Pierce Butler was a delegate at the 1787 Constitutional Convention
Pierce Butler was a soldier, farmer, politician, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was born in Ireland in 1744 and served in the British Army before emigrating to the British North American colonies, where he fought in the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he settled in South Carolina and became one of the largest slaveholders in the United States.
In 1787, Butler served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, representing South Carolina. He was an outspoken advocate of reconciliation with former Loyalists and of equal representation for backcountry residents. Butler's experiences as a soldier and planter-legislator influenced his strong support for a union of the states, and he introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause (Article 4, Section 2) to protect slavery in the Constitution. This clause established a federal guarantee of the property rights of slaveholders, although Butler himself had personal doubts about the morality of the Atlantic slave trade.
Butler's papers from the Constitutional Convention include 26 documents, such as the first and second drafts of the Constitution, notebooks of proceedings, and copies of plans proposed by other delegates. These documents provide insight into the debates and conflicts that occurred during the creation of the United States Constitution. Interestingly, Butler's notes are described as sloppy and emotionally charged, in contrast to the meticulous notes taken by James Madison.
After the Constitutional Convention, Butler returned to South Carolina and was elected as a United States Senator. He served multiple terms in the Senate and switched his party allegiance several times, starting as a Federalist and later becoming an independent candidate. Despite his defence of slavery, Butler also supported the rights of the poor and common man. He died in 1822 and is buried in Philadelphia.
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He was a signatory to the US Constitution
Pierce Butler was a signatory to the US Constitution. He was a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he signed the Constitution of the United States. As a representative of South Carolina, Butler defended slavery for personal and political reasons, despite harbouring private doubts about the African slave trade. He introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause into a draft of the Constitution, which gave a federal guarantee to the property rights of slaveholders. This allowed slaveholders to recover their slaves if they fled to another state.
Butler's papers from the Constitutional Convention provide a unique insight into the conflicts and debates that occurred during the creation of the Constitution. They include the first and second drafts of the Constitution, small notebooks of proceedings, and copies of various plans and proposals that were discussed. Interestingly, Butler's notes are described as sloppy and emotionally charged, in contrast to the meticulous notes of James Madison.
Butler's experience as a soldier and planter-legislator influenced his strong support for a union of the states. He also introduced a proposal to give the president the power to initiate war, although this was rejected by the other delegates. As a large slaveholder himself, Butler's stance on slavery was contradictory. While he defended slavery and proposed measures to protect it, he also supported the rights of the poor common man.
After signing the Constitution, Butler returned to South Carolina and was elected as a United States Senator, serving from 1789 to 1796. He switched political allegiances several times and, although he was repeatedly re-elected at the state level, he was never successful in his bids for higher public office.
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He was a soldier, planter and legislator
Pierce Butler was a soldier, planter, and legislator. Born in 1744 in Ireland, he was the third son of Sir Richard Butler and Henrietta Percy Butler. As a third son, he would not inherit his family's land, so his father bought him a commission in the British Army. He served in Canada and the colonies, including at the Boston Massacre, before resigning his commission in 1772 or 1773 and settling in South Carolina.
In South Carolina, Butler became a planter and one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the South. He also became involved in politics, serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1787 and as a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was one of the signers of the Constitution and is recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of American independence.
As a legislator, Butler served as a United States Senator from South Carolina from 1789 to 1796 and again from 1802 to 1804. He started his political career as a Federalist but switched to the Jeffersonian party in 1795 and then became an independent candidate in 1804. Despite his repeated reelection to the state legislature, voters rejected his bids for higher public office.
Butler's experiences as a soldier and his time as a planter-legislator led to his forceful support for a strong union of the states. He introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause (Article 4, Section 2) into a draft of the Constitution, which protected slavery and gave a federal guarantee to the property rights of slaveholders. He also supported counting the entire slave population in state totals for Congressional apportionment, which led to disproportionate power for white voters in the Southern United States.
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He was a Founding Father of the United States
Pierce Butler was an Irish-born American Founding Father who emigrated to the British North American colonies and fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in County Carlow, Ireland, on July 11, 1744, and died on February 15, 1822, at the age of 77. He was the third son of Sir Richard Butler, a member of Parliament for County Carlow, and Henrietta Percy Butler.
Butler came to America in 1758 as an officer in the British Army. He served in Canada and the colonies, most famously as a member of the 22nd Regiment at the Boston Massacre. In 1773, he resigned his commission and settled in South Carolina, where he became one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the South.
In 1787, Butler served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he signed the Constitution of the United States. He was also a member of the United States Senate, serving from 1789 to 1796 and again from 1802 to 1804. He was an outspoken advocate of reconciliation with former Loyalists and equal representation for backcountry residents. He introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause (Article 4, Section 2) into a draft of the Constitution, which protected slavery and gave a federal guarantee to the property rights of slaveholders.
Butler's political career was marked by inconsistencies that troubled his associates. He started as a Federalist, switched to the Jeffersonian party in 1795, and then abruptly became an independent candidate in 1804. Despite his support for slavery, he also defended the rights of the poor common man. He was elected by the South Carolina state legislature to three terms in the United States Senate but was repeatedly rejected by voters for bids to higher public office.
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He was an immigrant and former British officer
Pierce Butler was born on July 11, 1744, in Garryhundon, County Carlow, Ireland. He was the third son of Sir Richard Butler, a baronet and member of Parliament for County Carlow, and Henrietta Percy Butler. As a third son, Butler would not inherit his family's land, so his father bought him a commission in the British Army. He served in Canada and the colonies and was a member of the 22nd Regiment at the Boston Massacre.
In 1772, Butler was still an officer in the British Army, tasked with keeping the growing colonial resistance in check. However, in 1773, he sold his commission and moved to South Carolina, where he bought land in Georgia, becoming one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the South.
Butler's experience in the British Army led to his involvement in the American Revolutionary War. In 1779, Governor John Rutledge of South Carolina asked him to take control of the state's defensive forces, and he ended up playing a leading role in the American opposition to Britain's Southern Campaign.
After the war, Butler served as a state legislator and was a member of the Congress of the Confederation. He was also a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he signed the Constitution of the United States. As an immigrant and former British officer, Butler's unique perspective and experience contributed to his role in shaping the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Pierce Butler signed the Constitution. He was a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he also introduced the Fugitive Slave Clause.
Pierce Butler was a soldier, farmer, and statesman. He was also a politician and served as a United States Senator from South Carolina.
Pierce Butler was one of seven immigrants who were not native to the American Colonies to sign the United States Constitution. He was also one of the largest slaveholders in the United States and defended American slavery for political and personal reasons.
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