Simone Lawson
Elbridge Gerry, an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat, contributed to the U.S. Constitution in several ways. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he actively voiced his concerns about the concentration of power in the federal government and the potential loss of state power. Gerry refused to sign the original Constitution due to the absence of a Bill of Rights, which he advocated for, along with impeachment provisions and the rejection of an absolute presidential veto power. Gerry's influence extended to the structure of the presidency, as he favoured a single, independent president but disagreed with the Electoral College system. His proposal for a Committee of Detail helped shape the final document, and his opposition to the Constitution inspired the inclusion of the Bill of Rights. Gerry's complex political legacy includes the controversial practice of gerrymandering, derived from his name, which refers to creating irregularly shaped districts to benefit a particular political party.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Gerry's contribution to the Constitution | Gerry was a vocal opponent of the Constitution, fearing it might lead to aristocratic or monarchical rule. |
| Gerry's impact on the structure of the presidency | Gerry favoured a single, independent president but was concerned about the selection process. He opposed the Electoral College and Congressional election, proposing that state executives choose the president. |
| Gerry's influence on the Bill of Rights | Gerry helped inspire the Bill of Rights through his opposition to the Constitution. He pushed for its inclusion and supported the Constitution after its ratification. |
| Gerry's role in the Constitutional Convention | Gerry was an active speaker at the Convention, making 78 speeches. He was a moderate voice, pushing for the "Great Compromise" and suspicious of democracy and the people's trust. |
| Gerry's stance on federal power | Gerry opposed the Constitution's power given to the federal government, believing it took too much power from the states. |
| Gerry's legacy in gerrymandering | Gerry's approval of a controversial redistricting plan during his governorship led to the term "gerrymandering." The plan aimed to benefit a particular political party in state elections. |
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What You'll Learn
Gerry refused to sign the Constitution
Elbridge Gerry, an American Founding Father, refused to sign the Constitution in 1787 because he believed it did not adequately protect individual liberties. Gerry's refusal to sign was based on his concern that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of the states. He also had concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights, which he advocated for strongly.
Gerry was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, and his influence on the structure of the presidency was significant. He favoured a single, independent president, but was concerned about the method of selection. Gerry did not trust that the people themselves could be relied upon to elect the president, due to their susceptibility to manipulation by self-interested elites. He also did not favour the Electoral College or Congressional election, instead proposing that state executives choose the president. Gerry also pushed for impeachment provisions and helped to reject an absolute presidential veto power.
Gerry's opposition to the Constitution was not limited to his concerns about states' rights and individual liberties. He also opposed standing armies and was wary of the national power to tax revenue. He was a moderate voice pushing for the "Great Compromise" over the representation issue. Gerry was suspicious of democracy and placing too much trust in the people, believing that state governments were too close to the people. He opposed proportional representation and thought that the popular election of the House was unwise and unnecessary.
Gerry's refusal to sign the Constitution was not an isolated incident of dissent. He was a consistent advocate and practitioner of republicanism and believed in carefully nourishing and watching the government created under the Constitution. He is also known for his role in the XYZ Affair, where he remained in Paris in a failed attempt to negotiate a treaty with the French, and his time as Vice President under James Madison. Gerry's legacy is also tied to the term "gerrymandering," which refers to the creation of irregularly shaped districts to favour one political party.
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Gerry's role in the XYZ Affair
Elbridge Gerry is remembered for his refusal to sign the United States Constitution and his role in the XYZ Affair, among other things. Gerry was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from 1813 until his death in 1814.
Gerry was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He refused to sign the Constitution because it did not originally include a Bill of Rights. However, after its ratification, he helped draft the Bill of Rights and served as a representative in Congress for two terms (1789-93).
In 1797, President John Adams sent Gerry, along with John Marshall and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, to France on a mission to negotiate a treaty and settle several long-standing disputes. This mission is known as the XYZ Affair due to the substitution of the letters X, Y, and Z for the names of French diplomats in documents released by the Adams administration. The French agents demanded bribes from the commissioners before negotiations could continue. The commissioners refused and sought to engage French Foreign Minister Talleyrand in formal negotiations, but he refused.
Talleyrand believed Gerry was the most approachable of the commissioners and sought to keep him in France by freezing out the other two. Gerry remained in Paris, hoping that Talleyrand might offer him better terms. This action brought criticism from Federalist partisans, who blamed him for the breakdown in negotiations. However, Gerry did not make any significant negotiations after the other commissioners left and eventually returned to the United States himself.
Upon his return, Gerry faced harsh criticism from Federalists, which turned him against them and led him to join the Democratic-Republicans in 1800. The failure of the commission caused a political firestorm in the United States, leading to the undeclared Quasi-War (1798-1800). Gerry's exchanges with Talleyrand laid the groundwork for the eventual end to diplomatic affairs and military hostilities.
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Gerry's influence on the structure of the presidency
Elbridge Gerry is best remembered for his refusal to sign the United States Constitution, his role in the XYZ Affair, and his time as Vice President. Gerry was an outspoken opponent of the Constitution, fearing it might lead to aristocratic or monarchical rule and take power away from the states, giving too much power to the federal government. Despite this, he gave his full support to the Constitution after its ratification, helping to draft the Bill of Rights.
Gerry had a significant influence on the structure of the presidency. He favoured a single, independent president, but was concerned about the method of selection. He did not want the legislature to choose the president, believing this would lead to corruption. However, he also did not trust the people with direct election, due to their susceptibility to manipulation by self-interested elites. Instead, he proposed that state executives select the president. Gerry also pushed for impeachment provisions and helped reject an absolute presidential veto power and an "executive council of revision".
Gerry was a moderate voice at the Constitutional Convention, advocating for the Great Compromise over the representation issue. He was suspicious of democracy and placing too much trust in the people, opposing proportional representation and the popular election of the House. He was also opposed to standing armies and concerned about the national power to tax revenue. As a delegate to the Convention, he made 78 speeches during the final six weeks, making him one of the most active speakers.
Gerry's influence extended beyond the structure of the presidency. He was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, and played a role in the early stages of organising the resistance in the American Revolutionary War. He served in various political roles, including as governor of Massachusetts, where his approval of a controversial redistricting plan led to the coining of the term "gerrymandering". He later became the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison, serving from 1813 until his death in 1814.
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Gerry's impact on the Bill of Rights
Elbridge Gerry, an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat, played a significant role in shaping the Constitution and inspiring the Bill of Rights. Gerry was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he actively participated in the debates and made 78 speeches. He refused to sign the original Constitution because it did not include a Bill of Rights, and he had concerns about the balance of power between the states and the federal government.
Gerry's influence extended to the structure of the presidency. He favoured a single, independent president but was concerned about the process of selecting the president. He opposed the Electoral College and Congressional election, proposing instead that state executives choose the president. Gerry also pushed for impeachment provisions and helped reject an absolute presidential veto power. He believed that giving the legislature the power to choose the president would lead to corruption.
Gerry's legacy is also tied to the term "gerrymandering," which refers to the practice of creating irregularly shaped electoral districts to favour a particular political party. During his time as governor of Massachusetts, Gerry approved a controversial redistricting plan that gave his party an advantage in state elections. The Federalist press dubbed this plan the "Gerrymander," and the term has been used ever since to describe such practices.
Gerry's contributions to the Bill of Rights and his role in shaping the early political landscape of the United States are important aspects of his legacy. While he may be best known for gerrymandering, his impact on the Bill of Rights and his commitment to individual liberties and a balanced government are significant aspects of his political career.
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Gerry's opposition to the Constitution
Elbridge Gerry is best remembered for his refusal to sign the United States Constitution, a decision that stemmed from his belief that the document lacked a clear enumeration of individual liberties and his general opposition to proposals that strengthened the central government. Gerry was one of only three delegates to vote against the proposed constitution, citing concerns about the convention's authority to enact such significant changes and the lack of "federal features" in the document.
Gerry's refusal to sign the Constitution was also influenced by his concern for the rights of private citizens and his opposition to the power of the legislature to raise armies and revenue. He continued his opposition during the ratification debates, publishing a widely circulated letter outlining his objections. However, after the Constitution's ratification, Gerry recanted his opposition, acknowledging that other state ratifying conventions had called for amendments he supported. He played an active role in the inaugural United States Congress, contributing to the drafting and passage of the Bill of Rights.
Gerry's complex political trajectory, including his opposition to the Constitution, has puzzled early biographers and scholars. Some, like George Athan Billias, argue that Gerry consistently advocated for republicanism and that his role in the Constitutional Convention significantly influenced the final document. Gerry's education at Harvard exposed him to the English radical Whig "country-opposition" tradition, which shaped his deep distrust of centralised power and concern about the concentration of power in a monarchical figure. This ideological foundation likely influenced his opposition to the Constitution, as he feared it could lead to aristocratic or monarchical rule.
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Frequently asked questions
Gerry was initially opposed to the US Constitution, fearing it might lead to aristocratic or monarchical rule and take away power from the states. He was one of three men who refused to sign it in 1787 as it did not include a Bill of Rights.
Yes, after the Constitution was ratified, Gerry gave it his full support. He also helped draft the Bill of Rights, serving as a representative in Congress for two terms from 1789 to 1793.
Gerry was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was one of the most active speakers, making 78 speeches during the final six weeks. He pushed for a single, independent president and helped reject an absolute presidential veto power.
Gerry favoured a single, independent president but was concerned about how the president would be selected. He proposed that state executives, rather than the legislature or the people, choose the president. He also pushed for impeachment provisions.
Gerry's opposition to the Constitution helped inspire the Bill of Rights. His proposal to create a Committee of Detail also influenced the structure of the final document.
