what did edmund randolph do as attorney general

by Dr. Lola Herman Published 3 years ago Updated 1 year ago 4 min read

Randolph had handled much of President Washington's personal legal work, and Washington appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789 and then as Secretary of State in 1794. After leaving government service, Randolph represented Aaron Burr during Burr's 1807 trial for treason.

Who was Edmund Randolph and what did he do?

Jul 07, 2017 · He was a supporter of the Revolution and served as General George Washington's aide-de-camp in 1775. Randolph was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the Constitutional Convention. He was elected attorney general of Virginia in 1776, served until 1782 and served as Governor of Virginia from 1786-1788.

What did William Randolph do after he became Attorney General?

What did Edmund Randolph do as attorney general? Randolph had handled much of President Washington’s personal legal work, and Washington appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789 and then as Secretary of State in 1794.

What did John Randolph do in the Constitutional Convention?

Mar 11, 2022 · What did Edmund Randolph do as attorney general? Randolph was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the Constitutional Convention. He was elected attorney general of Virginia in 1776, served until 1782 and …

Why did Edmund Randolph leave the cabinet?

Randolph had handled much of President Washington’s personal legal work, and Washington appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789 and then as Secretary of State in 1794. After leaving government service, Randolph represented Aaron Burr during Burr’s 1807 trial for treason.

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Whereas his father reacted to the American Revolution by returning to Great Britain, Randolph served as an adviser to General George Washington in 1775. Randolph entered politics and continually gained higher offices. He helped draft the Constitution in 1787 and began drafting the legal code for his home state of Virginia. Randolph had handled much of President …

What did Edmund Randolph accomplish as attorney general?

Randolph is perhaps best remembered for introducing the Virginia Plan to the Constitutional Convention, which proposed a legislative branch consisting of two chambers, in which each state would be represented in proportion to their “Quotas of contribution, or to the number of free inhabitants.”1 Following his time as ...

Was Edmund Randolph an attorney general?

On September 26, 1789, Randolph was appointed the first Attorney General of the United States by President Washington. In 1794 he was appointed Secretary of State. He served in this position until 1795.Jul 7, 2017

What was Edmund Randolph job?

LawyerPoliticianEdmund Randolph/ProfessionsEdmund Jennings Randolph (August 10, 1753 – September 12, 1813) was an American attorney and politician. He was the 7th Governor of Virginia, and, as a delegate from Virginia, he attended the Constitutional Convention and helped to create the national constitution while serving on its Committee of Detail.

Was George Washington friends with Edmund Randolph?

Randolph's friendship with Washington continued, and soon Randolph was handling Washington's personal legal affairs. Randolph's political career began in 1776 when he served in the Virginia Constitutional Convention. He helped draft a BILL OF RIGHTS and a state constitution.

What does the Attorney General do?

The principal duties of the Attorney General are to: Represent the United States in legal matters. Supervise and direct the administration and operation of the offices, boards, divisions, and bureaus that comprise the Department.Oct 8, 2021

What did William Paterson do?

He helped write the 1776 Constitution of New Jersey and served as the New Jersey Attorney General from 1776 to 1783. He represented New Jersey at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, where he proposed the New Jersey Plan, which would have provided for equal representation among the states in Congress.

Who did Washington choose as attorney general?

Edmund Jennings RandolphCabinet of Pres. George WashingtonApril 30, 1789–March 3, 1793 (Term 1)StateThomas JeffersonTreasuryAlexander HamiltonWarHenry KnoxAttorney GeneralEdmund Jennings Randolph5 more rows

Who was the attorney general under Washington?

Edmund RandolphWashington's Cabinet While the current presidential cabinet includes sixteen members, George Washington's cabinet included just four original members: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

What proposal did Edmund Randolph make and what was his argument for it?

On May 29, 1787, Virginia delegate Edmund Randolph proposed what became known as "The Virginia Plan." Written primarily by fellow Virginian James Madison, the plan traced the broad outlines of what would become the U.S. Constitution: a national government consisting of three branches with checks and balances to prevent ...

How old was Edmund Randolph when he died?

60 years (1753–1813)Edmund Randolph / Age at death

What did Edmund Randolph believe in?

Randolph was a strong advocate of the process of amendment. He feared that if the Constitution were submitted for ratification without leaving the states the opportunity to amend it, the document might be rejected and thus close off any hope of another plan of union.

Did Edmund Randolph want slaves?

Attorney General Edmund Randolph became a citizen of Pennsylvania so he could make extra money arguing in its state courts. As soon as he did this the Virginia slaves he had brought with him to Philadelphia gained the right to demand their freedom.

Overview

Political career

Randolph was selected as one of 11 delegates to represent Virginia at the Continental Congress in 1779 and served as a delegate until 1782. He also remained in private law practice, handling numerous legal issues for Washington and others.
Randolph was elected as Governor of Virginia in 1786. That year, he was a del…

Early life

Randolph was born on August 10, 1753 to the influential Randolph family in Williamsburg in the Colony of Virginia. He was educated at the College of William and Mary. After graduation he began reading law with his father John Randolph and uncle, Peyton Randolph. In 1775, with the start of the American Revolution, Randolph's father remained a Loyalist and returned to Britain. Edmund Randolph returned to America where he joined the Continental Army as an aide-de-camp to General George …

Romance and married life with Elizabeth Nicholas

Miss Nicholas was daughter of the Hon. Robert Carter Nicholas, State Treasurer. Randolph wrote to his children after his wife's death:
"We were both born in the city of Williamsburg, within twelve hours of each other; myself on the 10th of August 1753, and she on the 11th. My aunt Randolph, who saw each of us soon after our birth, facetiously foretold that we should be united in marriage-a circumstance which, improbabl…

Resignation

A scandal involving an intercepted French message led to Randolph's resignation as Secretary of State in August 1795. Randolph had been tasked with maintaining friendly relations with France. The British Navyhad intercepted correspondence from the French minister Joseph Fauchet to his superiors and turned it over to Washington, who was dismayed that the letters reflected contempt for the United States and that Randolph had been primarily responsible. The letters implied that …

Later life

After leaving the federal cabinet, Randolph returned to Virginia to practice law, where he was a leader of the state bar. His most famous case was defending Aaron Burr at his trial for treason in 1807.
In 1791, Randolph was elected to the American Philosophical Society.

Death and legacy

Randolph lived his final years as a guest of his friend Nathaniel Burwell at Carter Hall, near Millwood, Virginia, in Clarke County. He suffered from paralysis in his final years and died at 60 on September 12, 1813. He is buried nearby at the Burwell family cemetery adjacent to "Old Chapel."
Randolph County, West Virginia was formed in 1787 and named in Randolph's honor. Randolph County, Illinoiswas also named after him. Randolph, who was the governor of Virginia when the …

Sources

• Reardon, John J. (1975). Edmund Randolph: a biography. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0026012003. Retrieved May 25, 2011. Edmund Randolph.
• Randolph, Edmund (1855) [1795]. A Vindication of Edmund Randolph (new ed.). Richmond: Charles H. Wynne, printer. Retrieved May 25, 2011. Edmund Randolph. written by himself, with a preface by P.V. Daniel, Jr.