Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857

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Langdon Cheves (September 17, 1776 – June 26, 1857) was an American politician, lawyer and businessman from South Carolina. He was a U. S. Representative from 1810 to 1815, served as Speaker of the House in 1814–1815, and was president of the Second Bank of the United States from 1819 to 1822.

Langdon Cheves was born at Bull Town Fort, on the Rocky River in South Carolina. His father, Alexander, was a native of Scotland; his mother, Mary Langdon, was from Virginia. At the age of ten he went to Charleston to earn a living, and at sixteen had become confidential clerk in a large mercantile house.

In spite of the advice of his friends, who thought him "born to be a merchant", he began studying law at age 18. In 1797 he was admitted to the bar, and soon became eminent in his profession. Before 1808 his yearly income from his practice exceeded $20,000, making him wealthy for his time. In 1808 he became Attorney General of South Carolina, serving until 1810.

In 1806 he married Mary Elizabeth Dulles, of Charleston. The couple had ten children, among them proslavery essayist Louisa S. McCord.

In 1810 he was elected U.S. Representative as a Democratic Republican, winning both a special election to the remainder of the 10th Congress and a regular election to a full term in the 11th Congress. He was re-elected to the 12th Congress in 1812 and the 13th Congress in 1814.

Cheves's speech on the merchants' bonds in 1811 was especially remarkable for its learning and eloquence. Washington Irving, who was present, said it gave him for the first time an idea of the manner in which the great Greek and Roman orators must have spoken.

Cheves was a zealous supporter of the War of 1812 (a "War Hawk"). He was chairman of the Naval Committee in 1812, and of the Committee of Ways and Means in 1813.

When Speaker of the House Henry Clay was sent as commissioner to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent, Cheves succeeded him, defeating Felix Grundy. Cheves became the ninth Speaker on January 19, 1814, and served until March 3, 1815, when his congressional term ended.

When Vice President Elbridge Gerry died on November 23, 1814, the office of President pro tempore of the Senate was vacant, and so Cheves became next in line for the presidency. This ended two days later, when Senator John Gaillard was chosen president pro tempore.

Cheves' most memorable action as Speaker was the defeat of the re-charter of the First Bank of the United States.

With the war coming to an end, Cheves declined to be a candidate for re-election in 1814. He devoted himself exclusively to his law practice in Charleston bar. He was also elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1814. In 1815, he was made a judge of the superior court of South Carolina.

In 1816 the Bank of the United States was rechartered, but within three years it was nearly ruined by mismanagement. In 1819 Cheves was elected president of its board of directors, and during the next three years succeeded in restoring its credit. In 1822 he resigned this post and was succeeded by Nicholas Biddle. Cheves was appointed chief commissioner of claims under the Treaty of Ghent.

In 1823–1824, Langdon Cheves was asked to re-enter the political arena as a Democratic-Republican Party candidate for the office of U.S. President in time for the 1824 election; he turned this offer down.

Cheves had moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while heading the Bank. He remained there and later in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, until 1829. He then returned to South Carolina, and lived in retirement on his plantation, writing occasional essays and reviews. In 1850 he declined appointment to the Senate vacancy caused by the death of John C. Calhoun.

He died in Columbia, South Carolina on June 26, 1857.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Dierson, Barnend. Barnend Dierson papers, 1802 University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Lowndes, William, 1782-1822. William Lowndes papers, 1754-1941 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn DeSaussure, John Boone, d. 1862. Account of an incident relative to the declaration of war with Great Britain, 1858 June 28. South Carolina Historical Society
creatorOf Bank of the United States (1816-1836). Letters and minutes, 1819-1842. University of Pennsylvania Library
creatorOf Cheves family. Papers, 1808-1934. South Carolina Newspaper Project
referencedIn Crafts, William, 1787-1826. William Crafts papers, 1806-1921; (bulk, 1806-1829. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Mitchell, John Wroughton. John Wroughton Mitchell papers, 1817-1900. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Motte, A. B. Orderly book, 1800-1801. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Hill-Hoffman South Carolina documents collection, 1766-1807. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Gibbes, Lewis Reeves, 1810-1894. Papers, 1793-1894 (bulk 1838-1894) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Cutts, Richard, 1771-1845. Papers of Richard Cutts, 1753-1886 (bulk 1802-1830). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857. Langdon Cheves papers, 1777-1934 (inclusive), [microform]. Yale University Library
creatorOf Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820. Letter : Baltimore, to Langdon Cheves, Philadelphia, 1820 Jan. 12. George Washington University
referencedIn Cheves, Langdon, 1848-1939. Langdon Cheves papers, 1735-1941. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Huff, Archie Vernon, 1937-. "Family life at Pendleton", 1968. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
creatorOf Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857. Letter : to Seth Wheaton, 1822 July 18. South Carolina Historical Society
creatorOf Smith, Samuel, 1752-1839. Papers of Samuel Smith, 1729-1924. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Gibbes, Lewis Reeves, 1810-1894. Papers, 1793-1894 (bulk 1838-1894) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Fuller, B. A. G., 1879-1956. Autograph collection, 1620-1920 Houghton Library
referencedIn Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007. Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800 - ca. 1912 National Archives Library, National Archives Records Administration
creatorOf Langdon Cheves letters, 1819-1834 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Clay, Henry, 1777-1852. Papers of Henry Clay [manuscript], 1798-1934. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Jones, William, 1760-1831. Bank of the United States Records, 1790-1842 (inclusive). Porterville Public Library
referencedIn Cheves family. Cheves and Wagner family papers, 1814-1919 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984. Post Revolutionary War Papers, 1784 - 1815 National Archives Library, National Archives Records Administration
creatorOf Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857. Letter of Langdon Cheves, 1830. Library of Congress
referencedIn Councell, E. C. Circular letter, 1837 Sept. 23, Charleston, S.C., to Hon. J.L. Tillinghast, House of Rep[resentatives], Washington, D.C. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Drayton, William, 1776-1846. William Drayton papers, 1830 Oct. 13-1841 Feb. 2 [microfilm]. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Hartridge, Walter Charlton, 1914-1974. Walter Charlton Hartridge, Jr. collection. Series VII : genealogies, Cheves family, 1700s-1900s / Walter Charlton Hartridge. Georgia Historical Society
referencedIn Hall, Ainsley, 1783-1823. Ainsley Hall papers, 1809-1828. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Lovell, Ann Heatly Reid. Papers, 1819-1850. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Clay, Henry, 1777-1852. Letters of Henry Clay [manuscript] 1813-1850. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Bank of the United States (1816-1836). Letters, 1822-1838. Houghton Library
creatorOf Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857. Langdon Cheves papers, 1800-1967, bulk 1800-1844. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Smith, William, 1762-1840. William Smith papers, 1829-1830. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Records of the National Park Service, 1785 - 2006. National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017 National Archives Library, National Archives Records Administration
creatorOf Cheves, Langdon, 1776-1857. Langdon Cheves power of attorney, 1806. South Carolina Historical Society
referencedIn Cheves family. Langdon Cheves papers, 1819-1947. Georgia Historical Society
referencedIn Greenway, Edward M. Edward M. Greenway collection 1737-1876. Johns Hopkins University, Sheridan Libraries and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library
creatorOf Wright, David McCord, 1909-1968. Papers of David McCord Wright [manuscript], 1820-1953. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Wallace, William Manson, 1779-1854. Papers, 1824-1852 and n.d. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Cheves family. Cheves family papers, 1808-1934. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Autograph File, C Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Party. corporateBody
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associatedWith Cheves family. family
associatedWith Cheves family. family
parentOf Cheves, Langdon, 1814-1863. person
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associatedWith Councell, E. C. person
associatedWith Crafts, William, 1787-1826. person
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associatedWith DeSaussure, John Boone, d. 1862. person
correspondedWith Dierson, Barnend. person
associatedWith Drayton, William, 1776-1846. person
correspondedWith Farmer, John L. person
associatedWith Fraser, Thomas Loughton Smith. person
associatedWith Fuller, B. A. G. (Benjamin Apthorp Gould), 1879-1956 person
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associatedWith Greenway, Edward M. person
associatedWith Hall, Ainsley, 1783-1823. person
associatedWith Hamilton, Paul. person
associatedWith Hartridge, Walter Charlton, 1914-1974. person
associatedWith Huff, Archie Vernon, 1937- person
correspondedWith Johnson, William, 1771-1834 person
associatedWith Jones, Molsey person
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associatedWith Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820. person
associatedWith Lovell, Ann Heatly Reid. person
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associatedWith McCord, David James, 1797-1855. person
associatedWith Mitchell, John Wroughton. person
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associatedWith Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809. person
associatedWith Robertson, George. person
associatedWith Silsbee, Nathaniel, 1773-1850. person
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correspondedWith Troup, George Michael, 1780-1856 person
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associatedWith Wallace, William Manson, 1779-1854. person
associatedWith Wright, David McCord, 1909-1968. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Columbia SC US
Abbeville County sc us
Philadelphia PA US
Abbeville SC US
Lancaster PA US
Charleston SC US
Subject
Slavery
African Americans
Agriculture
Bank directors
Banks and banking
Banks and banking
Law
Nullification (States' rights)
Plantation management
Plantation owners
Plantations
State rights
Occupation
Bankers
Businessmen
Lawyers
Legislators
Plantation owners
Representatives, U.S. Congress
Speakers of the House, U.S. Congress
Activity

Person

Birth 1776-09-17

Death 1857-06-26

Male

Americans

English

Information

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