George W. Campbell
Encyclopedia
George Washington Campbell (February 9, 1769 February 17, 1848) was an American
statesman who served as a U.S. Representative
, Senator, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice
, U.S. Ambassador to Russia and the 5th United States Secretary of the Treasury
from February to October 1814.
in 1772 with his parents. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (which is now Princeton University
) in 1794 and began studying law
. He was admitted to the bar
in North Carolina and began practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee
.
as the Representative from Tennessee's at-large congressional district
in 1803. He served in the House from 1805–1809, in the 8th
, 9th
, and 10th Congresses
). During the 10th Congress, he was the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
. He was also one of the managers appointed in 1804 to conduct the impeachment
hearings for John Pickering
, judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
, and later in the same year, the impeachment hearings against Samuel Chase
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
.
He left Congress in 1809 to become judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court
, serving until 1811.
from Tennessee twice, once from 1811 to 1814, having been elected to fill the seat of Jenkin Whiteside
, and again from 1815 to 1818. His first service was from October 8, 1811 to February 11, 1814, when he resigned to accept appointment as the United States Secretary of the Treasury
. He returned to the Senate on October 10, 1815. He served as the first chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
and its predecessor from December 4, 1815, until his resignation from the Senate on April 20, 1818; on this occasion to accept appointment as United States Ambassador to Russia, a position he held from 1818-1821. Campbell served as a member of the French Spoliation Claims Commission in 1831.
by James Madison
, he faced national financial disorder brought on by the War of 1812
. Congress had failed to recharter the First Bank of the United States
after its charter expired in 1811, and appropriations for the war
were unavailable, so Campbell had to convince Americans to buy government bonds
. He was forced to meet to lenders terms, selling government bonds at exorbitant interest rate
s. In September, 1814 the British occupied Washington, D.C.
and the credit
of the government was lowered even further. Campbell was unsuccessful in his efforts to raise money through additional bond sales and he resigned that October after only eight months in office, disillusioned and in bad health.
He died in 1848 and is buried at Nashville City Cemetery
in Nashville, Tennessee
.
Campbell County, Tennessee
, is named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statesman who served as a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Senator, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice
Tennessee Supreme Court
The Tennessee Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the state of Tennessee. Cornelia Clark is the current Chief Justice.Unlike other states, in which the state attorney general is directly elected or appointed by the governor or state legislature, the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints the...
, U.S. Ambassador to Russia and the 5th United States Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
from February to October 1814.
Biography
Born in Tongue, Highland, Scotland, he immigrated as a young lad to North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 1772 with his parents. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (which is now Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) in 1794 and began studying law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. He was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in North Carolina and began practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
.
U.S. House
He was elected to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as the Representative from Tennessee's at-large congressional district
Tennessee's 1st congressional district
The Tennessee 1st Congressional District is the congressional district of northeast Tennessee, including all of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties and parts of Jefferson County and Sevier County...
in 1803. He served in the House from 1805–1809, in the 8th
8th United States Congress
- Senate :* President: Aaron Burr * President pro tempore: John Brown , October 17, 1803 – February 26, 1804** Jesse Franklin , March 10, 1804 – November 4, 1804** Joseph Anderson , January 15, 1805 – December 1, 1805- House of Representatives :...
, 9th
9th United States Congress
- Senate :* President: George Clinton * President pro tempore: Samuel Smith - House of Representatives :* Speaker: Nathaniel Macon -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
, and 10th Congresses
10th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :- Senate :*President: George Clinton *President pro tempore: Samuel Smith , elected April 16, 1808** Stephen R. Bradley , elected December 28, 1808** John Milledge , elected January 30, 1809...
). During the 10th Congress, he was the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
. He was also one of the managers appointed in 1804 to conduct the impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
hearings for John Pickering
John Pickering (judge)
John Pickering served as Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court of Judicature and as Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire...
, judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
The United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of New Hampshire. The Warren B. Rudman U.S...
, and later in the same year, the impeachment hearings against Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and earlier was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland. Early in life, Chase was a "firebrand" states-righter and revolutionary...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
.
He left Congress in 1809 to become judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court
Tennessee Supreme Court
The Tennessee Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the state of Tennessee. Cornelia Clark is the current Chief Justice.Unlike other states, in which the state attorney general is directly elected or appointed by the governor or state legislature, the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints the...
, serving until 1811.
U.S. Senate and ambassadorship
He served as a United States SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Tennessee twice, once from 1811 to 1814, having been elected to fill the seat of Jenkin Whiteside
Jenkin Whiteside
Jenkin Whiteside was an attorney who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee.-Biography:Whiteside was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania he studied the law and was admitted to the bar there...
, and again from 1815 to 1818. His first service was from October 8, 1811 to February 11, 1814, when he resigned to accept appointment as the United States Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
. He returned to the Senate on October 10, 1815. He served as the first chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
United States Senate Committee on Finance
The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection...
and its predecessor from December 4, 1815, until his resignation from the Senate on April 20, 1818; on this occasion to accept appointment as United States Ambassador to Russia, a position he held from 1818-1821. Campbell served as a member of the French Spoliation Claims Commission in 1831.
Secretary of the Treasury
Appointed Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
by James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, he faced national financial disorder brought on by the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Congress had failed to recharter the First Bank of the United States
First Bank of the United States
The First Bank of the United States is a National Historic Landmark located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania within Independence National Historical Park.-Banking History:...
after its charter expired in 1811, and appropriations for the war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
were unavailable, so Campbell had to convince Americans to buy government bonds
Government bond
A government bond is a bond issued by a national government denominated in the country's own currency. Bonds are debt investments whereby an investor loans a certain amount of money, for a certain amount of time, with a certain interest rate, to a company or country...
. He was forced to meet to lenders terms, selling government bonds at exorbitant interest rate
Interest rate
An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender. For example, a small company borrows capital from a bank to buy new assets for their business, and in return the lender receives interest at a predetermined interest rate for...
s. In September, 1814 the British occupied Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and the credit
Credit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
of the government was lowered even further. Campbell was unsuccessful in his efforts to raise money through additional bond sales and he resigned that October after only eight months in office, disillusioned and in bad health.
He died in 1848 and is buried at Nashville City Cemetery
Nashville City Cemetery
Nashville City Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. Many of Nashville's prominent historical figures are buried there....
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Campbell County, Tennessee
Campbell County, Tennessee
Campbell County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 40,716. Its county seat is Jacksboro. The Census Bureau has identified the county as a Micropolitan Statistical Area, designated the LaFollette Micropolitan Statistical Area for the largest...
, is named in his honor.