Wythe the Politician

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House of Burgesses Clerk (1748)

Beginning in 1699, Williamsburg became the capital of colonial Virginia.[1] Located in Williamsburg, the House of Burgesses met irregularly and sought to imitate the British provincial system and royal hierarchy. [2] George Wythe was appointed October 28, 1748 to clerk to the "largest and most important standing committees."[3] He served on "Privileges and Elections" and "Propositions and Grievances."[4] Serving as a representative of one’s county in the House of Burgesses was "ambition’s chief point of vantage."[5] During this time, Wythe’s job included keeping the minutes of the proceedings of these committees. [6] At the young age of twenty-two, his time in the House of Burgesses served as an educational endeavor for Wythe in colonial legislation.[7] It also provided Wythe the opportunity to "rub shoulders" with some of the most influential men in the colonies at that time.[8] In 1752, Wythe was reappointed clerk for the "Privileges and Elections" and "Propositions and Grievances" committees. [9]

Interim Attorney General (1754)

The position of Attorney General was considered more prestigious than his seat in the House of Burgesses. Wythe was first appointed Acting, or Interim, Attorney General, by Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie in January of 1754, and served for about one year.[10] During his time as Interim Attorney General, Wythe was involved in many conflicts between the House of Burgesses and the Royal Government.[11] The first dispute Wythe became wrapped up in was the Pistol Fee Crisis of 1753-1754.[12] The Pistole Fee Crisis was a dispute between the House of Burgesses and Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie.[13] Dinwiddie wanted to charge individuals a pistole for land patents that had previously been unenforced in Virginia.[14] A pistole was worth about 18 shillings at the time, which was about 6 days' wages for a skilled tradesman, according to the UK National Archive.[15] The controversy was so contentious that Dinwiddie and the House of Burgesses had to go before the Privy Council in London to argue their sides.[16] The Privy Council, unsurprisingly, sided with Dinwiddie’s pistole fee.[17] This crisis foreshadows future tax conflicts between the colonies and the Royal Government which would of course surface almost a decade later in 1765 with the Stamp Act.[18] Wythe only served as Attorney General for a year before he was forced to vacate the position in favor of reinstating Randolph who had believed when he left the position to go to London, it would only be temporary and his job would be waiting for him upon his return.[19] Wythe would take on the role of Acting Attorney General once more, for about six months between November of 1766 and June of 1767, appointed by Lieutenant Governor Francis Fauquier.[20]

Williamsburg Seat, House of Burgess (1754-1756)

At the age of 28, Wythe was lifted up from his position of clerk to serve in the Williamsburg Seat of the House of Burgess.[21] The French & Indian War began in May of 1754, so Wythe was immediately thrust into a wartime government.[22] Wythe entered the Fourth Session of the House of Burgess (1752-1755).[23] During his time on the Burgess, Wythe worked on an appropriation to aid war efforts in the West.[24] Wythe worked on a committee specially assigned to ensure the funds the House of Burgess given for the war effort was not exclusively for English use in the West, but that the allocated funds were helping serve the colonies' interests.[25] Wythe was also appointed to serve on the "Privileges and Elections" subdivision, and the "Propositions and Grievances" subdivision during his time in the Williamsburg Seat.[26] While these two subdivisions were familiar to him, Wythe was also appointed to serve on the "Courts of Justice," which was a new challenge.[27]

William & Mary Representative Spot (1758-1761)

Elizabeth County Seat (1761-1767)

Clerk of the House (1768-1775)

After an unsuccessful bid to replace Peyton Randolph as Attorney General of Virginia[28], George Wythe was elected to be Clerk of the House in March of 1768, filling the vacancy left by the new Attorney General John Randolph[29]. Next to the Speaker, the Clerk of the House of Burgesses was the most significant office in the legislative body[30]. Alongside the standard roles of recording and maintaining records, the Clerk of the House of Burgesses presided over the election of the Speaker and could inform the Governor directly of proceedings within the House[31]. Wythe notably focused on elevating the standard of the office, ordering materials for the creation of bookplates [footnote] and a robe in the style of the British House of Commons [footnotes]. He also used the privileges of his office to peruse records from prior clerks, building a familiarity that he would draw on during his post-revolutionary career [footnote]. Despite the fact that he could not be a sitting member of the House during his clerkship, Wythe continued to influence proceedings as an advisor to political leaders and novices in the legislature, especially as trans-Atlantic tensions rose [footnote][footnote]. According to one apocryphal account [citation], Wythe used his position as Clerk to intentionally delay the delivery of the House’s minutes to Governor Botetourt in May of 1769, preventing the governor from dissolving the legislature while they were drafting appeals of protest for King George III [footnote]. Although Wythe’s direct participation in legislating was limited during this time, his name nevertheless appears as Clerk on several significant documents produced by the House of Burgesses during the leadup to the Revolution. For example, the Resolution Designating a Day of Fasting and Prayer, issued in May of 1774 to show solidarity with occupied Boston, was issued by Wythe [footnote]. He served as Clerk until June 1775, when Virginia’s colonial legislature dissolved for a final time, making Wythe the final Clerk of the House of Burgesses [footnote].

Mayor of Williamsburg (1770-1771)

Alderman (1772)

Delegate to the Second Continental Congress (1775-1777)

Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates (1777-1778)

Delegate to the Constitutional Convention (1787)

Delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention (1788)

Virginia Elector (1800)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gruber, C. K. E. (2021, February 17). Williamsburg during the Colonial Period. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/williamsburg-during-the-colonial-period/#:~:text=Williamsburg%20was%20the%20capital%20of%20the%20Virginia%20colony%20from%201699%20until%201779
  2. ↑ Hemphill, W. E. (1937). George Wythe the Colonial Briton. University of Virginia. pg 53.
  3. ↑ Ibid pg 53.
  4. ↑ Ibid pg 54.
  5. ↑ Ibid pg 53.
  6. ↑ Ibid pg 54.
  7. ↑ Ibid pg 54.
  8. ↑ Ibid pg 54.
  9. ↑ Ibid pg 57.
  10. ↑ Virginia House of Delegates Clerks Office. (n.d.). House history. https://history.house.virginia.gov/members/2394#:~:text=Acting%20Attorney%20General%20of%20Virginia,Francis%20Fauquier%20sometime%20shortly%20after
  11. ↑ Hemphill, W. E. (1937). George Wythe the Colonial Briton. University of Virginia. pg 62.
  12. ↑ Ibid pg. 62.
  13. ↑ Olson, C. A. G. (2020, December 7). Pistole fee dispute, the. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/pistole-fee-dispute-the/.
  14. ↑ Ibid.
  15. ↑ The National Archives. (2024, February 13). Currency converter: 1270–2017. Currency converter. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/#currency-result.
  16. ↑ Ibid.
  17. ↑ Ibid.
  18. ↑ Ibid.
  19. ↑ Hemphill, W. E. (1937). George Wythe the Colonial Briton. University of Virginia. pg 71.
  20. ↑ Virginia House of Delegates Clerks Office. (n.d.). House history. https://history.house.virginia.gov/members/2394#:~:text=Acting%20Attorney%20General%20of%20Virginia,Francis%20Fauquier%20sometime%20shortly%20after
  21. ↑ Hemphill, W. E. (1937). George Wythe the Colonial Briton. University of Virginia. pg 59.
  22. ↑ French & Indian War Timeline: Lake George NY history. The French & Indian War Society, Inc. (2020, March 3). https://www.frenchandindianwarsociety.org/timeline/.
  23. ↑ Hemphill, W. E. (1937). George Wythe the Colonial Briton. University of Virginia. pg 60.
  24. ↑ Ibid pg 61
  25. ↑ Ibid pg 61
  26. ↑ Ibid pg 62
  27. ↑ Ibid pg 62
  28. ↑ Wythe, George. (1766, June 23). "George Wythe to Benjamin Franklin, 23 June 1766." National Archives. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-13-02-0112.
  29. ↑ Kukla, Jon. (1981). Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia House of Burgesses 1643-1776. Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library, 153.
  30. ↑ Sydnor, Charles S. (1952). Gentlemen Freeholders: Political Practices in Washington's Virginia. Williamsburg, VA: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, 96.
  31. ↑ Pargellis, S. M. (1927, April). "The Procedure of the Virginia House of Burgesses." The William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 2, 76-81.

External links

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