Clinton, George, 1739-1812

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<p>George Clinton was born in 1739 in Ulster County, New York, and his parents were Irish immigrants. He fought in the French and Indian War, and then he went to New York City to read law. After being accepted to the bar, he practiced law and became district attorney in 1765. Three years later, he was elected to the New York Assembly and began to become increasingly powerful and influential in state politics. He was elected to the second Continental Congress in 1775.</p>

<p>During the American Revolution, he served as brigadier general in the New York militia. He helped defend New York from the British and became friends with George Washington during the war years. In 1777, he was chosen governor of New York and served six consecutive terms. As governor, Clinton was considered an able administrator, and he amassed considerable political power in the state. He also opposed ratifying the Constitution of the United States because he believed it put too much power into the hands of the federal government. He resigned from the governorship in 1795 due to ill health and declining popularity. Clinton served again as governor of New York from 1801 to 1804.</p>

<p>Despite having run unsuccessfully for vice president in 1788 and 1792, Clinton ran for the position again in 1804. Democratic-Republicans found him attractive as a candidate because, being from New York, he helped geographically balance President Thomas Jefferson from Virginia. He also had significant political power in New York and was less controversial than his predecessor, Aaron Burr. As vice president, Clinton presided over the Senate but was considered ineffective. He was unable to keep order and seemed uninterested in the proceedings, complaining about lengthy speeches and having to sit for too long. In the 1808 election, Clinton aspired to succeed Thomas Jefferson as President, but Jefferson gave his support to James Madison. Although the Democratic-Republicans again chose Clinton as vice president, he resented being passed over for President. As such, he did not attend Madison’s inauguration and was unsupportive of the Madison administration. When the Senate had a tie vote over whether to recharter the Bank of the United States, Clinton voted against it even though Madison supported rechartering the Bank. After years of declining health, Clinton died in office in 1812.</p>

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CLINTON, GEORGE, (uncle of George Clinton [1771-1809], De Witt Clinton, and James Graham Clinton), a Delegate from New York and a Vice President of the United States; born in Little Britain, Ulster (now Orange) County, N.Y., July 26, 1739; completed preparatory studies; served as lieutenant of rangers in the expedition against Fort Frontenac; studied law; admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Little Britain; clerk of the court of common pleas in 1759 and district attorney in 1765; surveyor of New Windsor; member of the State assembly in 1768; served on the New York Committee of Correspondence in 1774; Member of the Continental Congress from May 15, 1775, to July 8, 1776, when he was ordered to take the field as brigadier general of militia; appointed brigadier general by Congress in March 1777; Governor of New York 1777-1795; president of the State convention which ratified the Federal Constitution; again Governor of New York 1801-1804; elected Vice President of the United States in 1804 as a Republican and served four years under President Thomas Jefferson; reelected in 1808 and served under President James Madison until his death in office; died in Washington, D.C., April 20, 1812; interment in the Congressional Cemetery; reinterment in the First Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery, Kingston, N.Y., in May 1908.

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Source Citation

<p>George Clinton (July 26, 1739 – April 20, 1812) was an American soldier and statesman, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A prominent Democratic-Republican, Clinton served as the fourth vice president of the United States from 1805 until his death in 1812. He also served as governor of New York from 1777 to 1795 and from 1801 to 1804. Along with John C. Calhoun, he is one of two vice presidents to hold office under two presidents.</p>

<p>Clinton served in the French and Indian War, rising to the rank of lieutenant in the colonial militia. He began a legal practice after the war and served as a district attorney for New York City. He became Governor of New York in 1777 and remained in that office until 1795. Clinton supported the cause of independence during the American Revolutionary War and served in the Continental Army despite his gubernatorial position. During and after the war, Clinton was a major opponent of Vermont's entrance into the Union due to disputes over land claims.</p>

<p>Opposed to the ratification of the United States Constitution, Clinton became a prominent Anti-Federalist and advocated for the addition of the United States Bill of Rights. In the early 1790s, he emerged as a leader of the incipient Democratic-Republican Party, and Clinton served as the party's vice presidential candidate in the 1792 presidential election. Clinton received the third most electoral votes in the election, as President George Washington and Vice President John Adams both won re-election. Clinton did not seek re-election in 1795, but served as governor again from 1801 to 1804. He was the longest-serving governor in U.S. history until Terry Branstad surpassed his record in 2015.</p>

<p>Clinton was again tapped as the Democratic-Republican vice presidential nominee in the 1804 election, as President Thomas Jefferson dumped Aaron Burr from the ticket. Clinton sought his party's presidential nomination in the 1808 election, but the party's congressional nominating caucus instead nominated James Madison. Despite his opposition to Madison, Clinton was re-elected as vice president. Clinton died in 1812, leaving the office of vice president vacant for the first time in U.S history. Clinton's nephew, DeWitt Clinton, continued the Clinton New York political dynasty after his uncle's death.</p>

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Name Entry: Clinton, George, 1739-1812

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