The
Medallions of the Constitution of 1777 Presidents and their Forgotten Capitols.
To the best
of this author's knowledge no United States Medallions or Currency has been issued
honoring the founding Constitution of 1777 Presidents and the ten Capitol buildings of the United
States of America.
Medallion
Obverse:Samuel Huntington of Connecticut was elected President of the
Continental Congress on September 28, 1779 and by virtue of the ratification of
the Articles of Confederation on March 1, 1781 he became President of the United
States, in Congress Assembled serving until July 6, 1781.
He was born on July 16, 1731 at
Scotland, Connecticut, the son of a Puritan farmer. The date of July 16th
differs from the official Congressional Biography as during the restoration of
the Huntington tomb a 207 year old plaque was discovered with the bodies
stating: "His Excellency Samuel Huntington Esq. Governor of the State of
Connecticut was born July 16th AD 1731and died January 5th AD 1796 aged 64
years." During Huntington's Presidency the United States experience
the military losses of Savanna, Charleston, numerous troop mutinies, Benedict
Arnold's betrayal, the burning of Richmond and former Continental Congress
President, Henry Middleton taking the King's oath of allegiance in South
Carolina.
President Huntington,
through painstaking diplomacy, encouragement and a firm commitment to
independence, successfully persuaded the States to meet their necessary quotas
of men, dollars and provisions that allowed Washington and his generals to carry
on the war. Samuel Huntington then re-focused on Maryland; the last
State to ratify the Constitution of 1777 as France was threatening to
withdraw its troops and Navy believing the union was falling apart. This
failure to ratify the constitution was a slippery slope that had undermined the
Revolutionary War effort for almost four years. Huntington prevailed, the
Constitution of 1777 was ratified and seven months later French and American
troops would trap General Cornwallis in Yorktown Virginia effectively ending the
War. For more information visit
www.samuelhuntington.org.
Medallion Reverse:The
Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia was
Capitol Building from
May 10, 1775 to
December 12, 1776 and March 12, 1777 to
September 18, 1777
and
then again July 2,
1778 to June 21, 1783. The Medallion's reverse celebrates the ratification of
the Constitution of 1777 with the words "Perpetual
Union Ratified - 1781.
By virtue of this
ratification, the ever fluid Continental Congress ceased to exist. On March 2nd,
1781
"The United States, in
Congress Assembled"
was placed at the head of each page of the Official Congressional Journal.. The
United States of America, which was conceived on July 2, 1776, proclaimed on the
4th and re-constituted on November 15, 1777 was finally
ratified into perpetuity on March 1, 1781 under the Congress of President
Samuel Huntington. The elated Minister of France was the first to address Samuel
Huntington as “His Excellency the President of the United States, in Congress
Assembled”. For more information visit
www.articlesofconfederation.com.
Medallion Obverse:
Engraving of Thomas McKean of Delaware was elected President of the United
States, in Congress Assembled July 10, 1781 serving until November 4, 1781.
This signer of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitution of 1777 and the Constitution of 1787 was born in
New London, Chester County, Pennsylvania on March 19, 1734 and died in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1817. During his term of the U.S.
Presidency the Battle of Yorktown was won.
As the troops paraded
passed Congress and the President in Philadelphia the soldiers saluted the Flag
as it passed. President McKean chose not to salute instead placing his open hand
on his chest as each of the many flags passed his venue. This gesture is
still used today by U.S. civilians when pledging allegiance to the flag. This signor of both Federal Constitutions
and the Declaration of Independence referred to the importance of his Presidency
when turning down his party’s request to run as Thomas Jefferson’s Vice
President under the new 12th Amendment to the second U.S.
Constitution. Governor McKean wrote on October 16, 1803 to Pennsylvania
Republican Party Founder Alexander J. Dallas: ... President of the United States in Congress Assembled in the
year of 1781 (a proud year for Americans) equaled any merit or pretensions of
mine and cannot now be increased by the office of Vice President. Upon Pennsylvania ratifying the 12th
Amendment to the Constitution of 1787, creating for the first time a
Presidential/Vice Presidential ticket, Governor McKean transmitted the state
ratification on January 8, 1804 to President Jefferson with a letter stating:
Several Gentleman of the
Republican Party have wished to use my name as a Candidate for Vice President,
but I have absolutely declined it on public and personal considerations, and my
reasons seem to have given satisfaction.
Former President McKean, although respectful of President Jefferson’s office,
saw the Vice Presidency as a post vastly substandard of the office he held in
the crucial months of 1781.
Medallion Reverse:
Carpenters Hall, Philadelphia was the first Capitol building of the United
Colonies utilizes by the First Continental Congress from September 5, 1774 to
October 24, 1774. The Medallion's reverse also celebrates
the passage of the Articles of Association on October 20, 1774 that "Medallioned" the
term Continental Congress. It was proposed on September 4, 1774, in
Philadelphia's City Tavern, that the First Continental Congress convene at
the Pennsylvania State House. Key Colonial Delegates, however, thought it best
not to gather in an official Government structure and agreed to convene the
next day at Carpenters Hall. At the City Tavern there was also much discussion
on who would be chosen as the President (Presiding Officer) of the new
Congress. Peyton Randolph was unofficially elected with the support
Delaware Delegate Thomas McKean. In Carpenters Hall, Delegate McKean voted
formally for Randolph and heavily supported Joseph Galloway’s Plan to
restore the Colonies to a permanent Union with Great Britain but the measure
failed failed six colonies to five in 1774 vote. Conservative Thomas
McKean would finally acquiesce and sign the Articles of Association that
included radical measures he so earnestly sought to avoid since his involvement
with colonial politics dating back to the Stamp Act of 1765.
Medallion Obverse:
John Hanson of Maryland was elected President of the United
States, in Congress Assembled November 5, 1781
serving until November 3, 1782. Hanson
was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1715 and died in Oxen Hills, Prince
George County, Maryland on November 22, 1783.
On November 5, 1781 the first Delegates, who were elected by their respective
States, assembled under the Constitution of 1777 in Philadelphia.
Delegate Hanson,
earlier that year, was instrumental in persuading the Maryland Legislature to
ratify the Articles of Confederation. President Hanson served
one year as U.S. President under the Constitution of 1777 and is often claimed
to be the First President of the United States. In addition to the confusion
surrounding the existence of a 1777 Federal Constitution there is a large
contingent of historians and federal officials who, although agree the Articles
of Confederation were a legal constitution, maintain they did not go into effect
until November 5, 1781. Officials from Maryland especially support this view as
their Delegate John Hanson was elected to the Presidency on that same date. In
hundreds of bills and laws the State of Maryland maintains that John Hanson was
the first President of the United States. This error is pervasive even finding
support in some of our most venerable educational institutions including the
Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. This Hanson Legend is incorrectly
perpetuated by books, articles, the Library of Congress, the State of Maryland,
the Smithsonian Institute in various exhibits and the U.S. Post Office. These
claims are without merit as Hanson as the third President actually wrote Thomas
McKean a Presidential letter of “official thanks” for serving as the Second
President of the United States, in Congress Assembled. - for more information
visit www.johnhanson.net.
Medallion Reverse:
TheYork-Town Court House
served as the Capitol Building of the Continental Congress from September 30,
1777 to June 27, 1778. The Continental Congress had
fled to York in 1777 due to British troops occupying Philadelphia. The
Medallion's
reverse celebrates the passage of the Articles of Confederation on November 15,
1777 at the York-Town Courthouse. Hanson was neither a Delegate nor President
of the Continental Congress in 1777. Hanson was, however, instrumental
in persuading the Maryland Legislature to ratify the Articles of Confederation
in 1781. He would go on to
serve as a President under the ratified Constitution of 1777 in November of 1781
establishing the first consular service, a post office
department, a national bank, a uniform system of Medallionage, the Great Seal of the
United States as well as signing crucial loans and a treaty with Holland.
Medallion Obverse:
Elias Boudinot of New Jersey was elected President of the United States, in
Congress Assembled on
November 4, 1782 serving until
November 2, 1783. Boudinot was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 2nd
1740 and died in Burlington, New Jersey October 24th, 1821. As President, Boudinot
and Congress expended a great deal of time and consideration to ending the war
favorably with Great Britain. Former President and now Peace Commissioner John
Jay took the lead in Paris by persuading Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to
ignore the United States, in Congress Assembled’s resolution instructing France
to be included in the peace treaty negotiations. Delegate James Madison, who had
voted for the instruction to include France, upon learning of Jay’s strategy,
wrote: "In this
business Jay has taken the lead, and proceeded to a length of which you can form
little idea. Adams has followed with cordiality. Franklin has been dragged into
it."
Jay’s violation of these instructions displeased a large majority of the United
States, in Congress Assembled but President Boudinot, once realizing the
outcome, sided with John Jay. On
a sizzling June Sunday afternoon several hundred soldiers mutinied and marched
from Lancaster to Philadelphia. These men were determined to compel Congress
and the Supreme Council of Pennsylvania to meet their demands of back pay, food
and desperately needed supplies. Recruits from the barracks in Philadelphia
reinforced the mutineers; as they surrounded the Independence Hall. Major
General St. Clair and Alexander Hamilton, by order of Congress, met with the
mutinous soldiers. They were able to reason with the men enabling President
Boudinot and the Congressional members to pass through the files of the jeering
and threatening mutineers without being molested. The Emergency Committee
chaired by Alexander Hamilton sought the State Executive Council to insure the
Government of the United States military protection so Congress could convene
the following day. Elias Boudinot, however, received no pledge of protection by
the Pennsylvania militia and ordered an adjournment of the United States in
Congress Assembled on June 24th to Princeton, New Jersey. This was the last
time the Confederation Congress would convene in Pennsylvania. Troubles ensued
with money and the military throughout the rest of President Boudinot’s term. On
the day preceding the President and Congress dismissing the army, General
Washington issued his farewell orders, in the most endearing language. With a
great strain on the federal government's treasury Congress managed four months
wages towards, on average, four years of back pay due the army. Congressional
payment to the troops, though a trifling 10% of the monies due, enabled these
brave veterans to peacefully disburse into all 13 states. The term of President
Boudinot came to an end a month later after he addressed a rash of postal thefts
and executing a final resolution calling on he States to improve their Delegate
attendance.
Medallion Reverse:
Nassau Hall in Princeton was the United States of America Capitol
from June 30, 1783 to November 4, 1783.
The federal government convened in Princeton as the President and
Delegates were forced to flee Philadelphia in the summer of 1783 due to a mutiny
of Continental Army troops. The back of the Medallion honors the Treaty of Paris.
On
March 12th Elias Boudinot finally received the Preliminary Treaty of Peace which
was agreed upon by the commissioners on November 30th, 1782. The Preliminary
Articles of Peace between Great Britain and the United States placed the United
States in a strong position to exert their independence. The United States
negotiated national boundaries which included the fertile and extensive counties
on both sides of the Ohio River stretching to the east side of the Mississippi.
The boundaries were actually more extensive than the States had claimed when
they were colonies. Franklin's positioning in the initial negotiations to
include all of Canada won the interior land as a compromise as it had little or
no use to Great Britain. This land had upwards of twenty nations of Native
Americans. Additionally, the five most eastern nations had long been the friends
and allies the colonies. An unlimited right of fishery on the banks of
Newfoundland were also won but an expensive price was to be exacted by the
British Parliament. Great Britain believed that everything ceded to the United
States required an equivalent. These equivalent demands, if accepted, would
require the repayment of public and private debt owed by Americans to Britain
and the loyalists. The demands Britain exacted out of the Commissioners included
the large sums of money owed to British Merchants. The United States and their
people were obliged to make land and monetary restitution under the terms of the
Treaty. In conformity to the letter and spirit of the preliminary treaty,
Congress urged in strong terms the propriety of making restitution to the
merchants and British loyalists. Imposing the necessary taxes to fund the
repayment of debt to Great Britain was, however, beyond the power of United
States, in Congress Assembled. The little foreign money the United States could
borrow to satisfy British claims in non-American specie placed a great strain on
the National Treasury and the only true means of ever repaying the debt was the
public sale of lands bequeathed in the treaty in what would be known as the
Northwest Territory.
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