Not Your Father's Founders
Page 17
CAESAR RODNEY
Dover, Delaware
October 7, 1728–June 26, 1784
The Nation’s Health above My Own
The lack of a formal education never stopped Caesar Rodney from serving his colony and his country. In a ten-year span, the positions he held in Delaware included high sheriff of Kent County; registrar of wills; recorder of deeds; clerk of the orphan’s court; justice of the peace; Colonial assemblyman; Stamp Act Congress delegate; and member of the colony’s Committee of Correspondence. Then he got busy. He was elected to the Continental Congress for three terms (1774–76) and served as a major general in the Delaware militia. Rodney cast the deciding vote in 1776 that placed Delaware in the “for independence” column—and he may have done all that simply to push a lost love for a woman out of his mind.
Delaware’s Savior
Caesar Rodney came from an undistinguished family but rose to prominence in Delaware politics through hard work and devotion to a cause. His father, a farmer, died when Caesar was seventeen. Nicholas Ridgely, a clerk of the peace in Kent County, became Caesar’s guardian and instilled in the young man a love of politics. After that, not even a cancerous growth that covered a large portion of his face could stop him from fighting for freedom from British rule.
Rodney demonstrated his opposition to British tax legislation and willingness to travel to speak out against it as early as 1765, when he attended the Stamp Act Congress in New York City. That was the same year he joined the Committee of Correspondence, whose job it was to coordinate actions against the British with similar committees in other colonies.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“NO ONE WAS EITHER TORY OR WHIG; IT WAS EITHER DEPENDENCE OR INDEPENDENCE.”
—CAESAR RODNEY
The Stamp Act Congress, October 7–25, 1765, was the first gathering of delegates from different colonies to protest the new British taxation laws. It was a precursor of the Continental Congress.
It was no surprise that Rodney was elected to represent Delaware at the First Continental Congress in 1774.
Rodney soon proved to the other delegates that he could be depended on when needed to further the cause of independence.
Rodney returned to the Congress in 1775 and 1776. When the question of independence arose, he delivered Delaware, although it took a lot of time and effort for him to cast the crucial vote.
Neither Rain nor Thunder …
As the Second Continental Congress debated whether it should vote for independence in 1776, Rodney was back in Sussex County, Delaware, in his capacity as a militia leader. He was investigating rumors about a possible Tory riot, unaware of the drama that was unfolding in Philadelphia. The last thing he wanted was to travel north to cast a vote.
Caesar Rodney was in poor health in 1776, which was normal for him. Frequent asthma attacks and a spreading cancerous growth on his face that he referred to as “that horrid and most obstinate disorder” were sapping his energy, and he needed some rest to combat the effects of both. But when duty called, Rodney responded. He put his country’s health above his own, which was typical of him.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
Historians speculate that one reason Rodney stayed busy all the time was a sense of loss. He remained a bachelor throughout his life because the woman he loved, Molly Vining, married a rector and died shortly thereafter. Rodney never recovered from his grief over the death of another man’s wife.
The Delaware contingent at the Second Continental Congress was in disarray. Thomas McKean was in favor of independence; George Read was not. The Congress did not need Delaware’s vote for independence, but it preferred a unanimous vote to impress British authorities with their solidarity. McKean sent a note back to Delaware advising Rodney of the stalemate. Rodney hopped on the nearest horse and sped off to Philadelphia on a harrowing ride.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“I ARRIVED IN CONGRESS (THO DETAINED BY THUNDER AND RAIN) TIME ENOUGH TO GIVE MY VOTE IN THE MATTER OF INDEPENDENCE.”
—CAESAR RODNEY IN A JULY 4, 1776, LETTER TO HIS BROTHER, THOMAS RODNEY
Caesar Rodney’s dash to Philadelphia made Paul Revere’s famous ride look like a lap around a riding ring. He rode eighty miles overnight between Dover and Philadelphia to ensure that his colony voted yes for independence.
After a few twists and turns, the final vote was 13–0 for independence. Rodney helped save the day—and the country.
Rodney’s work was done at the Congress. He returned to Delaware to prepare for his participation in the war.
The End Is Near
Delaware played a critical role in the Revolutionary War. The state had a record of always meeting its obligations in supplying troops and materiel. Helping raise those troops and amassing supplies was all that Rodney could do as the fighting continued, with one exception.
On December 26, 1776, General Washington assigned Brigadier General Rodney to command the post at Trenton. His orders were to defend the river crossing at Trenton and send new troops to General Washington. He accomplished both goals, much to Washington’s delight.
As the war drew to a close, so did Rodney’s political career. Though elected to the national Congress in 1782, he declined because of his poor health. He continued with his responsibilities as Speaker to the Upper House of the Delaware Assembly, but that took a toll on his welfare, too.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
No one knows for sure on what date Rodney died or where he was buried. Records show that he was interred on his farm in an unmarked grave on June 28, 1784, where his remains lay for over a century. His body—or possibly a relative’s—was exhumed and moved to Christ Church in Wilmington in 1889.
Finally, Rodney’s lack of attention to his own health caught up with him. He died on or about June 26, 1784.
There was a certain amount of mystery regarding the circumstances of Caesar Rodney’s death and burial. There was none, however, about his life. He made sure Delaware voted for independence, for which he will never be forgotten.
BENJAMIN RUSH
Byberry, Pennsylvania
December 24, 1745–April 19, 1813
Bleeding Heart
Benjamin Rush was one of the most flexible patriots in the Revolutionary War era. He saved lives as a doctor and helped save a country as a politician. Rush earned a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, served in the American medical corps during the Revolutionary War and as the treasurer of the U.S. Mint, signed the Declaration of Independence, and taught at the University of Pennsylvania. Significantly, he was the intermediary who coordinated the reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Almost everybody liked and respected Rush. Almost.
School Days
When Benjamin Rush’s father, John, died, Benjamin’s mother sent the five-year-old to live with his uncle, Samuel Finley, who ran a private school, West Nottingham Academy, in Maryland. Finley convinced Benjamin to become a doctor.
Rush began his medical studies in Philadelphia, and completed them at the University of Edinburgh. After a brief stay in Europe, he returned to America in 1769 and threw himself into the political struggle for independence.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
Upon his return to Pennsylvania in 1769, Rush began teaching chemistry at the College of Philadelphia. He ultimately published the first American chemistry textbook.
Rush joined the Sons of Liberty in Philadelphia, began writing political essays advocating independence, and served in the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference. That led to his appointment as a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776 and his signature on the Declaration of Independence.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“LIBERTY WITHOUT VIRTUE WOULD BE NO BLESSING TO US.”
—BENJAMIN RUSH
One of his major achievements was encouraging Thomas Paine to publish Common Sense, which Rush titled. Ever mindful of his reputation in Philadelphia, Rush was reliev
ed that someone other than himself was willing to write such an anti-British political tract.
Rush to Judgment
In 1777, Rush became surgeon general of the middle department of the Continental Army. His penchant for contentiousness on some subjects came to the fore in that capacity. He and Dr. William Shippen Jr., the director general of hospitals for the army, clashed in their views of how the medical service should be run.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“I SUGGESTED TO [MR. PAINE] THAT HE HAD NOTHING TO FEAR FROM THE POPULAR ODIUM TO WHICH SUCH A PUBLICATION MIGHT EXPOSE HIM, FOR HE COULD LIVE ANYWHERE, BUT THAT MY PROFESSION AND CONNECTIONS, WHICH TIED ME TO PHILADELPHIA … FORBADE ME TO COME FORWARD AS A PIONEER IN THAT IMPORTANT CONTROVERSY.”
—BENJAMIN RUSH
Rush blamed Dr. Shippen for the miserable health conditions plaguing the Continental Army. He filed a formal complaint against Shippen, which Congress investigated and rejected.
Rush’s biggest gaffe was siding with a group of people who tried to oust General Washington as commander in chief. In 1778, Rush sent an anonymous letter to Patrick Henry campaigning for Washington’s removal—forgetting that his distinctive handwriting would easily identify the letter writer as Benjamin Rush. Once the details of his letter emerged, he had one choice. Rush resigned from the army.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“CONTROVERSY IS ONLY DREADED BY THE ADVOCATES OF ERROR.”
—BENJAMIN RUSH
Rush Hour
Undaunted, Rush resumed his civilian life—as busy as ever. New opportunities abounded for him. He was appointed to the staff of Pennsylvania Hospital in 1783, then elected to the Pennsylvania convention to ratify the new U.S. Constitution, which it did on December 12, 1787. He became professor of medical theory and clinical practice at the University of Pennsylvania in 1791.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
Even though he was respected as a doctor, Rush relied on practically the same remedy for every disease: bleeding, the withdrawal of varying quantities of blood from a patient to treat illness and disease. His obstinate nature revealed itself in this respect. The treatment method faded into medical history toward the end of the eighteenth century, but Rush continued to apply it.
He also wrote numerous works on a variety of topics, ranging from An Account of the Bilious Remitting Yellow Fever to Considerations on the Injustice and Impolicy of Punishing Murder by Death and Essays, Literary, Moral & Philosophical.
Among his other accomplishments, Rush established Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons. His hands seemed to be into everything going on in Philadelphia at the end of the eighteenth century.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences inducted Rush as a member in 1794 in recognition of his contributions to medicine and the sciences.
Rush dropped out of politics as the nineteenth century began. He contented himself with crusading against a variety of causes, among them slavery, alcohol, classical education, and tobacco.
Perhaps Rush’s most significant accomplishment as a doctor occurred in 1793, when Philadelphia was ravaged by an outbreak of yellow fever. At one point, there were only three doctors available to treat the 6,000 people affected by the fever. He worked long hours to stem the epidemic. Rush succeeded in doing so by administering a new and improved treatment of calomel and jalap combined. His remedy helped to curb the outbreak.
Amazingly, the yellow fever outbreak did not affect Rush. He worked tirelessly for another twenty years trying to cure other ills, medicinal and social alike. Finally, an unspecified illness led to his death in 1813.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
One of Rush’s final acts was to express his regrets in a roundabout way for attacking George Washington. He told John Adams in an 1812 letter, “[Washington] was the highly favored instrument whose patriotism and name contributed greatly to the establishment of the independence of the United States.”
HAYM SALOMON
Lissa, Poland
April 7,1740–January 6, 1785
Dear Haym: Army’s Broke, Send Money-G.W.
When the perpetually broke George Washington and Congress needed money, they generally contacted Haym Salomon, a financier and occasional spy who could always be counted on to raise funds—often from his own pockets. The U.S. government owed Salomon a big debt after the war ended, but it never paid him a penny—thus he died penniless.
A Well-Spoken Gentleman
Prior to immigrating to the United States, Haym Salomon gadded around Europe learning about finances and picking up languages. By the time he reached America in 1772, he spoke eight different languages fluently and knew enough about finance and business to open his own business and become a dealer in foreign securities.
He wasn’t above bribing a British prison guard on occasion or possibly engaging in arson, which a true Founding Father would not do. Then again, Salomon was not a diplomat. He was a financier who was good at what he did. George Washington never asked Salomon where he got the money. He was just happy to get it.
One of the people who befriended Salomon was Alexander McDougall, a member of the Sons of Liberty. Salomon became an active member of the organization, which eventually landed him in jail—and almost in a noose.
A mysterious fire destroyed much of New York City in 1776. The fire began on September 20, 1776. The flames burned 493 houses—almost one quarter of the city. The British army had planned to house its troops in those houses.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“PROVIDENCE, OR SOME GOOD HONEST FELLOW, HAS DONE MORE FOR US THAN WE WERE DISPOSED TO DO FOR OURSELVES.”
—GEORGE WASHINGTON, AFTER THE NEW YORK FIRE
Salomon was among the Sons arrested for allegedly setting the fire. He subtly let the British know that he spoke German fluently. They offered to upgrade his living conditions and improve the quality of his food if he would act as an interpreter for the Hessians (German soldiers contracted by King George III to supplement his regular army). He was happy to oblige.
Salomon was an opportunist. He seized the chance to be an interpreter to serve the patriots’ cause.
Since the British did not speak German, and the Hessians did not speak English, Salomon “interpreted.” What he was really doing was trying to encourage the Hessians to desert—and approximately 500 of them did! But the British paroled him before they all disappeared, or before they caught on to what he was doing.
Well, I’ll Be Hanged
The British arrested Salomon again in 1778, this time for spying. They confiscated his property and sentenced him to hang, but he bribed a guard who helped him escape. He fled to Philadelphia, where his wife, Rachel, and their child joined him.
Salomon was penniless, but that had never stopped him before. He opened a brokerage business and accepted an offer from the French minister as paymaster general of the French forces fighting alongside the Americans.
REVOLUTIONARY REVELATIONS
Salomon’s ability to speak numerous languages paid off again in Philadelphia. While he was there, the Dutch and Spanish governments hired him to sell the securities that financed loans they had made to the Continental Congress.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“I AM A JEW; IT IS MY OWN NATION; I DO NOT DESPAIR THAT WE SHALL OBTAIN EVERY OTHER PRIVILEGE THAT WE ASPIRE TO ENJOY ALONG WITH OUR FELLOW-CITIZENS.”
—HAYM SALOMON
Salomon led an active life in Philadelphia. He was a member of the governing council of the city’s Congregation Mikveh Israel and served as the treasurer of its society for indigent travelers. He also took part in the country’s first rabbinic court of arbitration. More importantly, he led the successful fight to repeal the test oath that prohibited Jews and other non-Christians from holding public office in Pennsylvania.
Paying Debts and Losing Money
The nation wa
s on the brink of financial ruin in 1781. Then Congress established the office of finance and appointed Robert Morris to run it. Morris and Salomon worked together to save the United States from fiscal ruin. Salomon became an effective broker of bills of exchange to help the federal government pay its expenses. And, he loaned his personal funds to several members of the government.
FEDERAL FACTS
Congress did not have the authority to tax anyone directly during the war, although it could levy taxes on imported goods. It relied mostly on requests to the individual states to raise money. Most of the time the states ignored the pleas. The federal government’s only recourse was to borrow money from friendly foreign governments, such as the French and Dutch.
Salomon was not completely altruistic. He charged the people to whom he loaned money interest and commissions. He loaned money to folks ranging from Thomas Jefferson to General Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben, the Prussian-born inspector general and major general of the Continental Army. In the long run, it did not matter what rates Salomon charged. Nobody paid him back.
Quotations to Live (and Die) By!
“I HAVE FOR SOME TIME … BEEN A PENSIONER ON THE FAVOR OF HAYM SALOMON, A JEW BROKER.”