who did washington pick to be the first attorney general what was his job

by Perry Nader 5 min read

Colonel Nicholas was appointed U.S. Attorney by President Washington two days after the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789. Colonel Nicholas later served as Kentucky's first Attorney General.Jan 12, 2022

How did George Washington choose the first 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. When did Randolph serve? Edmund Randolph served as the first Attorney General from February 2, 1790 - …

When was the job of Attorney General created?

Thompson, born in Sumner, was the first native-born Washington State Attorney General. When he was appointed Attorney General, Thompson was just 31 years old. Thompson was elected in 1920 on the Republican ticket, but resigned in 1923 in …

How is the Attorney General of the United States appointed?

Washington held his first full cabinet meeting on November 26, 1791, with Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. One prominent individual who did not attend cabinet meetings was Vice President John Adams. In fact, Adams found his role as vice president to …

Who did George Washington appoint as Secretary of State in 1789?

Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which, among other things, established the Office of the Attorney General. The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when …

image

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

Why did George Washington pick Edmund Randolph?

Washington's Cabinet President Washington rewarded Randolph for his support. Randolph was appointed as the first U.S. Attorney General in September 1789 and maintained the precarious neutrality in the feud between Thomas Jefferson (of whom Randolph was a second cousin) and Alexander Hamilton.

What did Washington's Attorney General do?

William C. Jones was Washington's first elected Attorney General. He litigated four cases before the U.S. Supreme Court during his tenure. Three of the four were concerned with the ability of the new state to establish harbor lines in and around Puget Sound in order to aid the safe expansion of commerce.

What was Edmund Randolph's job 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 served as Governor of Virginia from 1786-1788.Jul 7, 2017

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.

What did William Paterson propose?

William Paterson's New Jersey Plan proposed a unicameral (one-house) legislature with equal votes of states and an executive elected by a national legislature. This plan maintained the form of government under the Articles of Confederation while adding powers to raise revenue and regulate commerce and foreign affairs.

What does an Attorney General do?

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People's Lawyer” for the citizens.

How many attorney generals are in Washington state?

List of attorneys general of Washington#Attorney GeneralTerm of office15Ken Eikenberry199316Christine Gregoire200517Rob McKenna201318Bob Fergusonpresent18 more rows

Who is the United States current Attorney General?

Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney generalMerrick Brian Garland is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the 86th United States attorney general since March 2021. He served as a circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1997 to 2021. Wikipedia

What was Alexander Hamilton's position?

United States Secretary of the TreasuryAlexander Hamilton / Previous office (1789–1795)Alexander Hamilton was a founding father of the United States, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, helped draft the Constitution, and served as the first secretary of the treasury. He was the founder and chief architect of the American financial system.

Who were Trump's U.S. attorney general?

List of United States AttorneysDistrictAttorneyLeft officeAlabamaU.S. Attorney for the W.D. of ArkansasDuane KeesJanuary 17, 2020David Clay FowlkesCalifornia117 more rows

Is Attorney General a general?

Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney general

George Washington’s First Cabinet

Image
In the first year of George Washington’s presidency, only three executive departments were established: the Departments of State, Treasury, and War. Washington selected secretaries for each of these positions. His choices were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, …
See more on thoughtco.com

Judiciary Act of 1789

  • On April 30, 1789, Washington took the oath of office as America’s first president. It was not until almost five months later, on Sept. 24, 1789, that Washington signed into law the Judiciary Act of 1789, which not only established the office of the U.S. attorney general but also established a three-part judicial system consisting of: 1. The Supreme Court (which at the time consisted of o…
See more on thoughtco.com

Cabinet Nominations

  • Washington waited until September to form his first cabinet. The four positions were quickly filled in only 15 days. He hoped to balance out the nominations by choosing members from different regions of the newly formed United States. Alexander Hamilton (1787–1804) was appointed and quickly approved by the Senate as the first secretary of the treasury on Sept. 11, 1789. Hamilton …
See more on thoughtco.com

Issues Facing Washington’s Cabinet

  • President Washington held his first cabinet meeting on Feb. 25, 1793. James Madison coined the term "cabinet" for this meeting of the executive department heads. Washington’s cabinet meetings soon became quite acrimonious, with Jefferson and Hamilton taking opposite positions over the issue of a national bank that was part of Hamilton’s financial plan. Hamilton had created a finan…
See more on thoughtco.com

Sources

  1. Borrelli, MaryAnne. "The President's Cabinet: Gender, Power, and Representation." Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002.
  2. Cohen, Jeffrey E. "The Politics of the U.S. Cabinet: Representation in the Executive Branch, 1789–1984." Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1988.
  3. Hinsdale, Mary Louise. "A History of the President's Cabinet." Ann Arbor: University of Michig…
  1. Borrelli, MaryAnne. "The President's Cabinet: Gender, Power, and Representation." Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002.
  2. Cohen, Jeffrey E. "The Politics of the U.S. Cabinet: Representation in the Executive Branch, 1789–1984." Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1988.
  3. Hinsdale, Mary Louise. "A History of the President's Cabinet." Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Historical Studies, 1911.