Omar Bennett
Robert Yates (1738-1801) was an American politician, attorney, jurist, and surveyor. He was a delegate representing New York at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and is considered a Founding Father of the United States. Yates was a leader of the Anti-Federalist movement and opposed the ratification of the Constitution, believing that it did not effectively secure the rights of individual states. He is known for his political essays published under the pseudonyms Brutus and Sydney, which criticized the Constitution. Yates also served as chief justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1790 to 1798. With this background, it is clear that Robert Yates did not sign the Constitution.
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What You'll Learn
Robert Yates's political career
Robert Yates was an American politician, attorney, jurist, and surveyor. He is considered a Founding Father of the United States, having served as a delegate representing New York at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Here's an overview of his political career:
Early Political Career
Robert Yates was born on January 27, 1738, in Schenectady, New York. He received a classical education and later studied law, being admitted to the New York bar in 1760. He then resided in Albany, where he served as an alderman for the second ward on the Albany board of aldermen from 1771 to 1775. During this period, he also compiled and issued the first published version of the "Laws and Ordinances of the City of Albany" in 1773.
New York Provincial Congresses
Beginning in 1775, Yates represented Albany in each of the four New York Provincial Congresses. He played a significant role in the first three, held in New York, and the last one, convened after the Declaration of Independence, in various locations throughout the Hudson Valley. During this time, he also served on the Albany Committee of Safety, demonstrating his early involvement in local politics and governance.
State Constitutional Convention
In 1776–77, Robert Yates served on the committee that drafted the first New York State Constitution. This marked his initial contribution to shaping state-level governance and constitutional frameworks.
New York Supreme Court
On May 8, 1777, Yates was appointed as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court. He served as an associate justice until 1790 and then became the third Chief Justice of the State. He held this position from 1790 to 1798, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty. During his tenure, he attracted notice for his impartiality and fair treatment of Loyalists.
Opposition to Strong Central Government
Throughout the 1780s, Yates's political reputation grew as he aligned with Governor George Clinton's party. He became known for his vocal opposition to expanding the scope of a national government, a stance that would define his later political career.
Constitutional Convention of 1787
In 1787, Robert Yates, along with John Lansing, Jr., and Alexander Hamilton, was appointed to represent New York at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. However, Yates and Lansing departed the Convention prematurely in July 1787 as they disagreed with the push for an entirely new form of government, viewing it as beyond their authority. Yates's detailed notes from the Convention were later published, offering valuable insights into the debates and discussions of the time.
Anti-Federalist Leadership
Robert Yates is best known as a prominent leader of the Anti-Federalist movement. He is presumed to have authored political essays published in 1787–1788 under the pseudonyms "Brutus" and "Sydney." These essays opposed the ratification of the Constitution, arguing against the expansion of national government power and advocating for the protection of individual liberties. His stance as an Anti-Federalist led him to twice run unsuccessfully for Governor of New York, first against George Clinton in 1789 and then against John Jay in 1795, concluding his political career.
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Robert Yates's views on the Constitution
Robert Yates was an American politician, attorney, jurist, and surveyor. He is considered a Founding Father of the United States as he was a delegate representing New York at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Yates was a leader of the Anti-Federalist movement and opposed the Constitution on the grounds of the scope of the national government and the diminished sovereignty of the states. He believed that the proposed constitution did not effectively secure the rights of individual states. He also opposed any concessions to the federal congress, such as the right to collect impost duties, that might diminish the sovereignty of the states. Yates was also against the expansion of the scope of a national government.
Yates and Lansing departed the Constitutional Convention in July 1787 as they felt that the mood of the convention to produce an entirely new form of government was beyond their authority. They had expected that the delegates would simply discuss revising the existing Articles. In December 1787, Yates and Lansing wrote a letter to Governor Clinton urging opposition to the new Constitution. Yates also wrote a series of letters signed "Brutus" and "Sydney" attacking the Constitution and voted against its ratification at the Poughkeepsie Convention.
Yates was also involved in the drafting of the first New York State Constitution in 1776-77 and served as chief justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1790 to 1798. He was known for his fair treatment of Loyalists and served on commissions that settled boundary disputes with Massachusetts and Vermont.
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Robert Yates's writings
Robert Yates is known for his anti-federalist writings, which include political essays published in 1787-1788 under the pseudonyms "Brutus" and "Sydney". These essays opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution, arguing that it diminished the sovereignty of the states and expanded the scope of the national government. Yates's essays were a response to the Federalist Papers, which supported the Constitution.
Yates's anti-federalist sentiments were also expressed in a series of letters signed "Brutus" and "Sydney", where he continued to attack the Constitution. He voted against ratification at the Poughkeepsie Convention in 1788, where he was a vocal delegate in support of protecting individual liberties. After the convention, Yates pledged his support for the Constitution as a matter of patriotic duty, despite his earlier opposition.
In addition to his political essays and letters, Yates also kept detailed notes during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. These notes were published posthumously in 1821 under the title "Secret Proceedings and Debates of the Convention Assembled... for the Purpose of Forming the Constitution of the United States". They provide valuable insights into the debates and discussions that took place during the formation of the Constitution.
Yates also played a significant role in drafting the first New York State Constitution in 1776-1777. He served on various committees during this process, including the "Secret Committee for Obstructing Navigation of the Hudson." Yates's contributions to the New York State Constitution reflect his commitment to protecting individual liberties and his opposition to centralized power.
Beyond his political writings, Yates also had a career in law and surveying. He served as an associate justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1777 to 1790 and then as chief justice from 1790 to 1798. He maintained a legal practice and continued surveying after the Revolutionary War. Yates also created important land maps during the 1760s, including the first civilian map of Albany in 1770.
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Robert Yates's role in the Poughkeepsie Convention
Robert Yates was an American politician, attorney, jurist, and surveyor. He is considered a Founding Father of the United States, having served as a delegate representing New York at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Yates was a leading anti-federalist and played a significant role in the Poughkeepsie Convention, also known as the New York State Ratifying Convention. He was a vocal delegate in support of protecting individual liberties and worked against the adoption of the Constitution.
In the spring of 1775, Yates was elected to represent Albany in each of the four New York Provincial Congresses. He served on various committees, including the one that drafted the first New York State Constitution. He also served on the "Secret Committee for Obstructing Navigation of the Hudson." On May 8, 1777, Yates was appointed to the New York Supreme Court and later served as its chief justice from 1790 to 1798.
Yates travelled to Philadelphia in May 1787 for the Constitutional Convention, where he expected that the delegates would discuss revising the existing Articles of Confederation. However, when it became apparent that the convention intended to create an entirely new form of government, Yates, along with John Lansing, departed the convention in July 1787. They believed that the proposed constitution did not effectively secure the rights of individual states and urged opposition to its adoption.
At the Poughkeepsie Convention, Yates continued to oppose the Constitution and voted against its ratification. He is also presumed to have authored a series of Anti-Federalist political essays published under the pseudonyms "Brutus" and "Sydney", which further attacked the Constitution. After the Poughkeepsie Convention, Yates ran for governor of New York in 1789 but lost the election.
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Robert Yates's death
Robert Yates, an American politician, attorney, jurist, and surveyor, died on September 9, 1801, in Albany, leaving behind his wife, Jannetje Van Ness Yates, and four of his six children. He was born on January 27, 1738, in Schenectady, New York, and was the oldest of twelve children.
Yates received a classical education in New York City and later studied law with William Livingston. Admitted to the New York bar in 1760, he resided in Albany and began his career as a surveyor and attorney. During the pre-Revolution years, Yates was a Radical Whig, counting himself among those who emphasized the protection of liberty in England, which appealed to many in the colonies.
When the Revolution began, Yates served on the Albany Committee of Safety and represented Albany County in four provincial congresses and the convention of 1775-1777. He played a significant role in drafting New York's first constitution and was appointed to the New York Supreme Court on May 8, 1777. He served as chief justice from 1790 until his retirement in 1798, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty.
In the 1780s, Yates emerged as a prominent leader of the Anti-Federalists, a group that opposed any concessions to the federal congress that might diminish the sovereignty of the states. He attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787 as a delegate representing New York, alongside Alexander Hamilton and John Lansing, Jr. However, Yates and Lansing withdrew from the convention when they realized that it aimed to create an entirely new form of government, which they believed infringed upon the rights of individual states.
After the convention, Yates continued to oppose the ratification of the Constitution and wrote a series of political essays under the pseudonym "Brutus" and "Sydney." He also ran for governor of New York in 1789 and 1795 but was defeated in both elections. Despite his political endeavors, Yates's financial situation declined, and he passed away with a significantly diminished income.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Robert Yates did not sign the US Constitution. He was appointed to represent New York at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 but left in July, along with John Lansing Jr., when it became clear that the convention intended to create an entirely new form of government, which Yates believed was beyond their authority.
After leaving the Philadelphia Convention, Robert Yates wrote a letter to Governor Clinton urging opposition to the new Constitution. He also wrote a series of political essays under the pseudonyms "Brutus" and "Sydney", in which he opposed the ratification of the Constitution.
Yes, Robert Yates served as chief justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1790 to 1798. He also twice ran unsuccessfully for Governor of New York, in 1789 and 1795.
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