Eleanor Finch
Pierce Butler was a soldier, farmer, politician, and Founding Father of the United States. He was a delegate at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he played a significant role in shaping the Constitution. Butler, a representative of South Carolina, advocated for a strong central government and a single executive. Notably, he proposed the Fugitive Slave Clause, which emphasised the economic importance of slavery. Butler's personal and political defence of slavery, as well as his proposal, stained his reputation. Despite some dissatisfaction with the final document, he urged its ratification. After the convention, he continued his political career, serving as a senator and switching between political parties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of birth | 1744 |
| Birthplace | County Carlow, Ireland |
| Occupation | Soldier, farmer, politician, planter, statesman |
| Political affiliation | Federalist, later Jeffersonian, then independent |
| Role in the U.S. Constitution | Compiled the Pierce Butler Papers, proposed the Fugitive Slave Clause, signed the Constitution |
| Political views | Supported slavery, a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth-based representation |
| Military experience | Officer in the British Army, member of the 22nd Regiment at the Boston Massacre |
| Land ownership | Owned large grants of land across multiple states, making him one of the wealthiest men in early US history |
| Political career | Delegate to the Continental Congress (1787), U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1789-1796), member of the assembly (1776-1789) |
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Pierce Butler was a delegate and senator from South Carolina
Pierce Butler, born in County Carlow, Ireland, in 1744, was a soldier, planter, and statesman. He was also one of the Founding Fathers of American independence. Butler came to America as an officer in the British Army and later resigned his commission to settle in Charles Town (now Charleston), South Carolina, in 1758. He was a wealthy landowner and slaveholder, and one of the aristocratic delegates at the convention.
Butler was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1787 and a representative of South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the same year. He was one of the seven immigrants who signed the United States Constitution. He is recognised for proposing the Fugitive Slave Clause, which stated that "the legislatures of the several states shall make provision for the recovery of such persons".
As a delegate, Butler supported proposals for a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth rather than population as the basis of representation. He also championed South Carolina's interests, particularly slavery, and opposed the three-fifths compromise, arguing that slaves represented property wealth and should be counted for representation purposes.
After the convention, Butler returned to the state legislature, where he continued to uphold the interests of South Carolina. He was later elected as South Carolina's first US senator in 1789, serving until 1796. During his term, he allied himself with the Federalist Party and supported Alexander Hamilton's financial program. He also continued to prioritise South Carolina's interests, with one Senate colleague commenting on his strong regional focus.
Butler retired from political life in 1805 and spent his remaining years in Philadelphia, where he had a summer home. He died in 1822 and was buried at Christ Church in Philadelphia, along with many of his family and descendants.
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He was a soldier, planter, and statesman
Pierce Butler was a soldier, planter, and statesman. He was born in County Carlow, Ireland, in 1744, and came to America in 1758 as an officer in the British Army. He attained the rank of major in 1766 and was posted to Boston in 1768 to suppress colonial unrest. In 1771, he married Mary Middleton, the daughter of a wealthy South Carolinian, and in 1773, he sold his commission and settled in Charleston, becoming one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the South.
As a soldier, Butler played a significant role in the Revolutionary War. He was appointed adjutant general of the South Carolina militia in 1779, taking charge of organizing, training, and mobilizing the troops. After the fall of Charleston in 1780, he joined the Continental Army in North Carolina and remained with them until the end of the war.
As a planter and slaveholder, Butler defended slavery for personal and political reasons, although he is said to have had personal doubts about the African slave trade. He proposed the Fugitive Slave Clause at the Constitutional Convention on August 29, 1787, which allowed slaveowners to recover their escaped slaves from other states.
As a statesman, Butler was a delegate to the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He supported a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth as the basis of representation rather than population. He was also elected to the United States Senate in 1789 and served until his resignation in 1804. Throughout his political career, he prioritized South Carolina's interests, particularly the defense of slavery.
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He proposed the Fugitive Slave Clause
Pierce Butler, a delegate and senator from South Carolina, is recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of American independence. He was a representative of South Carolina in the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, where he played a role in shaping the United States Constitution.
One of Butler's notable contributions to the Constitution was his proposal of the Fugitive Slave Clause. On August 29, 1787, Butler put forward this clause, which aimed to protect the interests of slaveholders like himself. The proposal stated:
> "Wheresoever any person bound to service or labour in any state, shall flee into another state, [struck: it shall be lawful for the person intitled [sic] to such service or labour to reclaim and recover him] he shall not be thereby discharged from such service or labour: but the legislatures of the several states shall make provision for the recovery of such person."
The draft of the proposal in Butler's papers differs from the official resolution presented to the Convention. Interestingly, the draft includes a note indicating that it may have been drafted at a local tavern.
The Fugitive Slave Clause, also known as Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, guaranteed the right of slave owners to recover their enslaved people who escaped to another state. This clause was a significant component of the Constitution, reflecting the complex and contradictory nature of the founding of the United States, where some of the Founding Fathers, like Butler, were slave owners and defenders of slavery.
Butler's proposal of the Fugitive Slave Clause underscores his commitment to upholding slavery and protecting the economic interests of slaveholders. This proposal, which became part of the Constitution, had profound implications for the institution of slavery in the United States and the lives of enslaved individuals.
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He supported a strong central government
Pierce Butler was a soldier, planter, statesman, and Founding Father of American independence. He was born in County Carlow, Ireland, in 1744 and served as a British officer in the army before moving to America in 1758. He resigned his commission in 1773 and settled in Charleston, South Carolina, becoming one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the South.
Butler's political career began in 1776 when he was elected to the General Assembly, where he served until 1789. In 1787, he was elected to both the Confederation Congress and the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he would make his mark on history.
During the Constitutional Convention, Pierce Butler supported proposals for a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth as the basis of representation rather than population. He also championed South Carolina interests, particularly slavery, and vehemently opposed the three-fifths compromise, arguing that slaves represented property wealth and should be counted in full for representation purposes.
Butler's support for a strong central government was likely influenced by his belief in the importance of state power. He famously stated, "Money is strength," and argued that "every state ought to have its weight in the national council in proportion to the quantity it possesses." This perspective aligned with his defence of slavery, as he recognised the economic value of slaves as property.
In addition to his stance on central government and slavery, Butler is known for proposing the Fugitive Slave Clause, which was incorporated into the Constitution. This clause ensured that slaves who fled to another state would not be freed but instead returned to their owners. Despite some dissatisfaction with the final document, Butler urged its ratification, recognising it as an improvement over the Articles of Confederation.
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He was a Founding Father of American independence
Pierce Butler, born on July 11, 1744, in County Carlow, Ireland, was a soldier, farmer, planter, and statesman who is recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of American Independence. He served as a representative of South Carolina in the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the Senate.
Butler's political career began in 1776 when he was elected to the General Assembly, where he served until 1789. In 1787, he was elected to both the Confederation Congress and the Constitutional Convention, making him one of the signers of the Constitution. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Butler supported proposals for a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth rather than population as the basis of representation. He also championed South Carolina's interests, particularly slavery, and opposed the three-fifths compromise, arguing that slaves represented property wealth and should be counted in full for representation purposes.
Butler is known for proposing the Fugitive Slave Clause, also known as "the legislatures of the several states shall make provision for the recovery of such a person," during the Constitutional Convention on August 29, 1787. This measure was eventually incorporated into the Constitution. Despite some dissatisfaction with the final document, he urged its ratification, believing it to be an improvement over the Articles of Confederation.
Following his role in the creation of the Constitution, Butler returned to South Carolina and was elected as the state's first U.S. senator in 1789. He served in the Senate until 1796 and again from 1802 until his resignation in 1804. During his time in the Senate, he allied himself with the Federalist Party and supported the financial program of Alexander Hamilton.
In addition to his political career, Butler was also a wealthy landowner and slaveholder, making him one of the richest men in early US history. He defended slavery for personal and political reasons, although he is said to have had personal doubts about the African slave trade. He also supported the rights of the common man, despite his contradictory stance on slavery.
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Frequently asked questions
Pierce Butler was a delegate and representative of South Carolina at the US Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was one of the Founding Fathers of American independence and a signer of the Constitution.
Butler supported proposals for a strong central government, a single executive, and wealth rather than population as the basis of representation. He also championed South Carolina's interests, especially slavery, and opposed the three-fifths compromise. He proposed the Fugitive Slave Clause, which stated that "the legislatures of the several states shall make provision for the recovery of such person".
After the convention, Butler returned to the state legislature, where he continued to uphold the interests of South Carolina. He was later elected as South Carolina's first US senator, taking his seat in New York in June 1789.
