John Jay (1745-1829)

Quotation

Those who own the country ought to govern it.

Books

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Research

Lecture: Federalist Papers
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Biographical

John Jay (December 12, 1745 - May 17, 1829) was the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from 1789 to 1794. In 1794, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to France. While in France, he was elected governor of New York State. He resigned from the Court, and served as governor of New York until 1800. President John Adams then renominated him to the court; the Senate quickly confirmed him, but he declined, citing his own poor health and the court's lack of "the energy, weight, and dignity which are essential to its affording due support to the national government." Jay was also the fifth President of the Continental Congress, and thus the leader of what was to become the United States, from December 10, 1778, until September 27, 1779. He was preceeded in office by Henry Laurens and succeeded by Samuel Huntington. Jay did not attend the Constitutional Convention, but contributed five essays to what later became the Federalist Papers. [This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License and uses material adapted in whole or in part from the Wikipedia article on John Jay.]

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