Eleanor Finch
Oliver Ellsworth was a Founding Father, lawyer, politician, and the third Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. He played a significant role in shaping the US Constitution as a delegate from Connecticut to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Ellsworth, a strict Calvinist, believed that his life was ordered by God's plan for mankind, and this belief influenced his political decisions. He embraced compromise as long as he deemed a project righteous. Ellsworth's notable contributions to the Constitution include co-authoring the Connecticut Compromise with Roger Sherman, which resolved the dispute over representation in Congress by proposing a bicameral legislature, and securing Southern support by endorsing the international slave trade. Although he left the convention before signing the final document, he actively promoted the Constitution's ratification and helped establish the Supreme Court's power through the Judiciary Act of 1789.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political philosophy | Clear, sophisticated, and detailed |
| Religion | Strict Calvinist |
| Compromise | Supported compromise if convinced of the righteousness of a project |
| Opposition to slavery | Firm opposition to slavery on religious grounds |
| Support for Southern states' rights | Supported the Southern states' right to import slaves to gain support for the Constitution |
| Connecticut Compromise | Proposed the Connecticut Compromise, leading to a bicameral Congress with proportional representation in the House and fixed representation in the Senate |
| Committee of Detail | Served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution |
| Support for Constitution | Vigorously defended the Constitution at the Connecticut ratifying convention |
| Letters of a Landholder | Wrote Letters of a Landholder, a series of articles supporting the proposed Constitution during the ratification battle |
| Judiciary Act of 1789 | 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 |
| Alliance with Alexander Hamilton | Served as a key Senate ally to Alexander Hamilton, supporting his proposals such as the Funding Act of 1790 and the Bank Bill of 1791 |
| National debt funding | Promoted Alexander Hamilton's national debt funding |
| Bank of the United States | Helped start the Bank of the United States |
| Supreme Court | Appointed as the third Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1796 |
| Commissioner to France | Served as a commissioner to France while on the Supreme Court, negotiating a treaty with Napoleon |
| Federal judiciary | Contributed to the formation of the Constitution and the development of a strong federal judiciary system |
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What You'll Learn
Calvinist beliefs
Oliver Ellsworth was a strict Calvinist who claimed that he had personally experienced his election by God for salvation. His entire personal and public life was ordered by a rigorous Calvinism founded upon a belief in absolute predestination. He believed that everything he did was part of God's plan for mankind.
Ellsworth's Calvinist beliefs were influenced by his education and political philosophy. He studied theology at Yale, where he was exposed to the New Light movement and the teachings of Jonathan Edwards, who emphasized the inherent depravity of man. Ellsworth's understanding of the righteous ruler was shaped by Joseph Bellamy, a student of Edwards, who developed a New Light theology of political office. This theology allowed for compromise, as the righteous ruler could "licitly give in to the desires of his depraved colleagues and permit a lesser evil to occur, so long as God ordained something greater in the end."
As a politician, Ellsworth embraced the notion of the righteous ruler, working for the common good as a way of fulfilling his duty to love his neighbor. He enthusiastically embraced compromise as long as he was convinced of the overall righteousness of a project. This pragmatism was evident in his role in the Connecticut Compromise, where he proposed a bicameral Congress with proportional representation in the House and fixed representation in the Senate.
Ellsworth's Calvinist beliefs also influenced his stance on slavery. Like other Connecticut Calvinists, he opposed slavery on religious grounds, believing that it would eventually wither away as part of God's plan. However, he supported the Southern states' right to import slaves to gain their support for the Constitution.
In summary, Ellsworth's Calvinist beliefs shaped his political philosophy, pragmatism, and compromise, all of which influenced his contributions to the making of the Constitution.
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Support for slavery
Oliver Ellsworth was a Founding Father of the United States, a lawyer, 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.
In 1787, Ellsworth, along with Roger Sherman and William Samuel Johnson, represented Connecticut at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He was a member of the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution.
Ellsworth's philosophy of making the Constitution was influenced by his religious beliefs as a strict Connecticut Calvinist. He firmly opposed slavery on religious grounds, believing that it was part of God's plan that slavery would eventually end. Despite this personal opposition to slavery, Ellsworth supported the Southern states' right to import slaves in order to secure their support for the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention. This stance was in line with his enthusiasm for compromise as long as he was convinced of the overall righteousness of a project.
To secure Southern support, Ellsworth also supported free international trade in slaves. He voted for the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person when determining representation in Congress. This compromise was a part of the Connecticut Compromise, which Ellsworth proposed with Sherman, that resolved the deadlock over representation in Congress by creating a bicameral legislature. The upper house, or Senate, would have equal representation from each state, while the lower house, or House of Representatives, would be chosen based on population.
Ellsworth's support for slavery was also evident in his defence of the Constitution at the Connecticut ratifying convention. During the ratification battle, he wrote "Letters of a Landholder", a series of articles similar to the Federalist Papers that supported the proposed Constitution. Despite his support for slavery to gain Southern backing, Ellsworth did speak twice before the convention in favour of slavery's abolition, stressing that he personally owned no slaves.
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The Connecticut Compromise
Oliver Ellsworth was a Founding Father, a strict Calvinist, and the third Chief Justice of the United States. He had a clear, sophisticated, and detailed political philosophy, and his entire personal and public life was ordered by a rigorous Calvinism founded upon a belief in absolute predestination. He firmly believed that everything he did was part of God's plan for mankind.
In 1787, Ellsworth, together with Roger Sherman and William Samuel Johnson, represented Connecticut at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Here, he proposed the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise or the Sherman Compromise. This was an agreement that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.
To secure Southern support for the Constitution, Ellsworth supported free international trade in slaves, and he also supported the Three-Fifths Compromise about slavery. Ellsworth's influence helped ensure that Connecticut ratified the Constitution, and he was elected as one of Connecticut's inaugural senators, serving from 1789 to 1796. He was also a key Senate ally to Alexander Hamilton, promoting his national debt funding and helping to start the Bank of the United States.
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The role of the Senate
Oliver Ellsworth, a Founding Father of the United States, played a significant role in shaping the country's political and legal landscape, particularly through his contributions to the Senate. As an influential senator himself, Ellsworth left an enduring mark on the Senate's procedures and policies.
One of Ellsworth's most notable contributions to the Senate was his proposal for the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise. The Compromise addressed the contentious issue of representation in Congress, where larger states advocated for proportional representation, while smaller states demanded equal representation. Ellsworth, together with Roger Sherman, proposed a bicameral Congress consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. According to this proposal, the Senate would provide equal representation for each state, with two senators from each state, while membership in the House of Representatives would be based on population. This compromise was a pivotal moment in the formation of the US federal system, resolving a deadlock that threatened to derail the Constitutional Convention.
Ellsworth also played an important role in the Senate as a key ally of Alexander Hamilton, aligning himself with the Federalist Party. He actively supported and facilitated the passage of Hamiltonian proposals, such as the Funding Act of 1790 and the Bank Bill of 1791. Ellsworth's influence extended to the establishment of the Bank of the United States, further solidifying his impact on the country's economic policies.
In addition to his legislative contributions, Ellsworth was a driving force behind the Judiciary Act of 1789, which significantly shaped the federal judiciary of the United States. This Act established the power of the Supreme Court to overturn state supreme court decisions that conflicted with the United States Constitution. Ellsworth's legal expertise and experience as a judge in Connecticut informed his efforts to strengthen the federal judiciary system and enhance its role in interpreting and upholding the Constitution.
Ellsworth's tenure in the Senate was marked by his commitment to compromise and his unwavering belief in the righteousness of his endeavours. As a strict Calvinist, Ellsworth's political and personal life was guided by his religious convictions. Notably, his opposition to slavery on religious grounds led him to support the Southern states' right to import slaves, as he believed that slavery would eventually wither away as part of God's plan.
In summary, Oliver Ellsworth's role in the Senate was characterised by his active participation in shaping the country's legislative, economic, and judicial frameworks. Through his contributions to the Connecticut Compromise, his support for Alexander Hamilton's proposals, and his work on the Judiciary Act, Ellsworth left a lasting impact on the Senate and the nation as a whole.
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The Supreme Court
Oliver Ellsworth, a Founding Father of the United States, played a significant role in shaping the country's political and legal landscape, including the establishment of the Supreme Court. Serving as the third chief justice of the Supreme Court from 1796 to 1800, Ellsworth's tenure was marked by his efforts to modernise the format of Supreme Court decisions, encouraging justices to issue joint majority and dissenting opinions.
Ellsworth's legal and political career began with his appointment as a judge in Connecticut. In 1787, he represented Connecticut as a delegate at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he actively participated in the proceedings. Notably, Ellsworth proposed retaining the phrase "the United States" to emphasise a federation rather than a single national entity.
One of Ellsworth's most significant contributions to the Constitution was his proposal of the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise. This compromise resolved the contentious issue of representation in Congress, proposing a bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The compromise ensured that each state had equal representation in the upper house, while representation in the lower house was based on population. This proposal was a keystone of the US federal system, addressing the concerns of both the more populous and less populous states.
During the drafting of the Constitution, Ellsworth served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft. He also supported the three-fifths compromise on slavery, and his influence was instrumental in ensuring Connecticut's ratification of the Constitution. Following his time in the Senate, where he promoted Alexander Hamilton's financial proposals, Ellsworth was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court by President George Washington.
Despite his relatively short tenure on the Supreme Court, Ellsworth made important contributions to the judiciary. His most controversial opinion was in United States v. Isaac Williams (1799), where he applied the common-law rule that citizens could not expatriate themselves without government consent. Additionally, Ellsworth played a role in international diplomacy, negotiating with Napoleon to secure freedom of commerce between France and the United States, effectively ending an undeclared trade war.
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Frequently asked questions
Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate from Connecticut to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He played an active role in the proceedings, frequently speaking and proposing the use of "the United States" to identify the government under the Constitution.
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal by Ellsworth and Roger Sherman to resolve the deadlock over representation in Congress. The compromise resulted in a bicameral Congress with two members of the Senate elected by each state, while membership in the House of Representatives was apportioned based on population.
Oliver Ellsworth was a strict Calvinist who believed that everything he did was part of God's plan for mankind. He enthusiastically embraced compromise as long as he was convinced of the overall righteousness of a project. He opposed slavery on religious grounds but supported the Southern states' right to import slaves to gain support for the Constitution.
Ellsworth served on the Committee of Detail, which prepared the first draft of the Constitution. He also contributed the phrase "United States" to identify the government under the Constitution and played a key role in securing Connecticut's ratification of the document.
