Free Republic
Browse · Search
RLC Liberty Caucus
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

John Hanson Story (The REAL first President)
ConstitutionFacts.com ^ | ? | ?

Posted on 03/08/2012 4:14:11 PM PST by gorush

John Hanson Story

John Hanson (1721-1783)

When we think of the President of the United States, many people do not realize that we are actually referring to presidents elected under the U.S. Constitution. Everybody knows that the first president in that sense was George Washington. But in fact the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor to the Constitution, also called for a president– albeit one with greatly diminished powers. Eight men were appointed to serve one-year terms as president under the Articles of Confederation. The first was John Hanson, in 1781. His exact title was the “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.”

The Articles of Confederation did not specifically “define” the powers of the President, and so under John Hanson’s leadership various departments of the government were formed. He alone had the authority to correspond and negotiate with foreign governments. During his one year in office, he approved the Great Seal of the United States that is still used today and helped establish the first U.S. Treasury Department. He led the flight to guarantee the statehood of the Western Territories beyond the Appalachian Mountains that had been controlled by some of the original thirteen colonies.

Upon his death on November 21, 1783, the following eulogy appeared in the Maryland Gazette:

“Thus was ended the career of one of America’s greatest statesmen. While hitherto practically unknown to our people, and this is true as to nearly all the generations that have lived since his day, his great handiwork, the nation which he helped to establish, remains as a fitting tribute to his memory. It is doubtful if there has ever lived on this side of the Atlantic, a nobler character or shrewder statesman. One would search in vain to find a more powerful personage, or a more aggressive leader, in the annals of American history. and it is extremely doubtful if there has ever lived in an age since the advent of civilization, a man with a keener grasp of, or a deeper insight into, such democratic ideals as are essential to the promotion of personal liberty and the extension of human happiness. He was firm in his opinion that the people of America were capable of ruling themselves without the aid of a king.”


TOPICS: General Discussion
KEYWORDS: constitution
I'm not the huge James Madison fan that I used to be. He and his buddies met to amend the Articles of Confederation but unlawfully scrapped them and started over. They were over-reacting to Shay's Rebellion and led to our present demise. Just imagine if the feds still had the limited powers that the Articles gave them. Who knows?
1 posted on 03/08/2012 4:14:16 PM PST by gorush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: gorush

East of the Rocky Mountains, we would be speaking German. To the west, Japaneese, because that was the Axis plan, and no “country” under the Articles of Confederation would have won WWI.


2 posted on 03/08/2012 4:18:42 PM PST by MindBender26 (New Army SF and Ranger Slogan: Vengeance is Mine, sayeth the Lord.... but He subcontracts!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gorush

Correction:

East of the Rocky Mountains, we would be speaking German. To the west, Japaneese, because that was the Axis plan, and no “country” under the Articles of Confederation would have won WWII . (WW 2)


3 posted on 03/08/2012 4:19:48 PM PST by MindBender26 (New Army SF and Ranger Slogan: Vengeance is Mine, sayeth the Lord.... but He subcontracts!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MindBender26

Possibly. So we have delayed our demise?


4 posted on 03/08/2012 4:20:28 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MindBender26

By “possibly” I mean possibly...not to imply that I accept your hypothesis.


5 posted on 03/08/2012 4:22:27 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MindBender26

But under the Articles we probably would not have entered WWI, which may have, in effect, averted WWII. (Fun conjecture!)

Regardless, no national government would have left itself as small as the Articles envisioned.


6 posted on 03/08/2012 4:25:59 PM PST by GoDuke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MindBender26

Without US intervention in WWI there probably would not have been a WWII.


7 posted on 03/08/2012 4:26:17 PM PST by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: gorush

Here is a riddle on this same line; How many times was George Washington elected President?

As far as speculation goes about US History, a fun read is L.Neil Smith’s “Probability Broach” and subsequent novels. As much a reaction to President Carter’s malaise and doom as a libertarian utopian vision. Ah, those evil Hamiltonians!


8 posted on 03/08/2012 4:52:58 PM PST by SES1066 (Government is NOT the reason for my existance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SES1066

I used to hate Hamilton. I still do. :{)


9 posted on 03/08/2012 4:54:57 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: gorush

****The first was John Hanson, in 1781. His exact title was the “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.”***

I did a report in High School (1963 or 1964) on John Hanson as the First President of the US.

I also did a report on Emperor Norton, Emperor of the US at the same time.


10 posted on 03/08/2012 5:09:56 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

So tell me about” Emperor Norton, Emperor of the US at the same time.”


11 posted on 03/08/2012 5:11:42 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: achilles2000

***Without US intervention in WWI there probably would not have been a WWII.***

It is hard to believe today that Wall Street investors were advocating Americans invest in IMPERIAL GERMAN WAR BONDS up until 1917. Lots of American investors lost their life savings when the US declared WAR on Germany.

It is also hard to believe that the US Federal Reserve chairman’s brother was chairman of the Imperial German central Bank at the same time.


12 posted on 03/08/2012 5:25:30 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: gorush

So tell me about” Emperor Norton, Emperor of the US at the same time.”

When I wrote “at the same” time I meant I did the report on both at the same time.

I give you the EMPEROR NORTON! Emperor of the US and Protector of Mexico!

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/norton.html


13 posted on 03/08/2012 5:31:44 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Interesting.

When Winfield Scott marched our troops from Vera Cruz to Mexico City in 1847 the Mexicans offered him the dictatorship of Mexico. President Polk expanded the US to it's present contiguous borders.

14 posted on 03/08/2012 5:41:43 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: MindBender26

LOL


15 posted on 03/08/2012 5:52:18 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: achilles2000

Or without those darned Amish agitators.


16 posted on 03/08/2012 5:53:59 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

LOL

little California lore. Very colorful fellow and IIR he had a huge showing at his funeral.


17 posted on 03/08/2012 5:55:56 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Vendome

I know...the Amish just seem to create trouble wherever they go.


18 posted on 03/08/2012 7:57:00 PM PST by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
RLC Liberty Caucus
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson