Robert Livingston (1746–1813)
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Robert R. Livingston
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.jpg) Robert R. Livingston, "The Chancellor" |
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| In office October 20, 1781 – June 4, 1783 |
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| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | John Jay |
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| In office 1777 – 1801 |
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| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | John Lansing, Jr. |
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| In office 1801 – 1804 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Cotesworth Pinckney |
| Succeeded by | John Armstrong, Jr. |
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| Born | November 27, 1746 New York City, New York |
| Died | February 26, 1813 (aged 66) Clermont, New York |
| Nationality | United States |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Stevens Livingston |
| Profession | Politician |
Robert R(obert)[1] Livingston (November 27, 1746 - February 26, 1813), was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from New York.
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[edit] Early life
Robert R. Livingston was the eldest son of Judge Robert Livingston (1718-1775) and Margaret Beekman Livingston. He had nine brothers and sisters, all of whom wed and made their homes on the Hudson River near the family seat of Clermont Manor. Livingston attended King's College, the predecessor to today's Columbia University.
He married Mary Stevens Livingston, daughter of Continental Congressman John Stevens, on September 9, 1770.[2] He built a home for himself and wife just south of Clermont, called Belvedere, which was burned to the ground along with Clermont in 1777 by the British Army. In 1794 he built a new home, called New Clermont but subsequently named Arryl House (phonetic spelling of his initials "RRL") which was deemed "the most commodious home in America" and contained a library of 4,000 volumes. After his trip to France, he added an orangerie to the grounds.Some family is still living today in Scott Livingstons family.
[edit] Political career
He was a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, although he was recalled by his state before he could sign the final version of the document.
From 1777 to 1801, he was the first Chancellor of New York, then the highest judicial officer in the State. He became universally known as "The Chancellor", retaining the title as a nickname even after he left the office.
He also was U.S. Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1781 to 1783, under the Articles of Confederation. In 1789, as Chancellor of New York, he administered the oath of office to George Washington at Federal Hall in New York City, then the capital of the United States.
In 1789, Livingston joined the Jeffersonian Republicans (later known as the Democratic-Republicans), in opposition to his former colleagues John Jay and Alexander Hamilton who founded the Federalist Party. He formed an uneasy alliance with his previous rival George Clinton, along with Aaron Burr, then a political newcomer. He opposed the Jay Treaty and other Federalist initiatives.[3]
In 1798, Livingston ran for Governor of New York on the Democratic-Republican ticket, but was defeated by Governor John Jay who was re-elected.
As U.S. Minister to France from 1801 to 1804, he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. After the signing of the Louisiana Purchase agreement in 1803, Livingston made this famous statement:
"We have lived long but this is the noblest work of our whole lives...The United States take rank this day among the first powers of the world"[4].
During his time as Minister to France, Livingston met Robert Fulton, with whom he developed the first viable steamboat, the Clermont, whose home port was at the Livingston family home of Clermont Manor in the town of Clermont, New York. On her first voyage, she left New York City, stopped briefly at Clermont Manor, and continued on to Albany up the Hudson River, completing in just under 60 hours a journey which had previously taken nearly a week by sloop. In 1811, both Fulton and Livingston became members of the Erie Canal Commission.
He was a Freemason, and in 1784, he was appointed the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York. He retained this title until 1801. The Grand Lodge's library in Manhattan bears his name. The Bible Livingston used to administer the oath of office to President Washington is owned by St. John’s Lodge No. 1. It is still used today when the Grand Master is sworn in, and, by request, when a President of the United States is sworn in.
At his death, Livingston was buried in Tivoli, New York.
Livingston County, Kentucky, Livingston Parish, Louisiana and Livingston County, New York are named for him.
[edit] References
- ^ At that time the Livingstons used their fathers first name as a middle name to distinguish the numerous members of the family. Since his father had the same name as he himself, he never spelled out the middle name, but used always only the initial.
- ^ The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. XI (1880), p. 6.
- ^ Robert R. Livingston, Encyclopedia of World Biography.
- ^ The Louisiana State Capitol Building
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
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| New title | United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs 1781 - 1783 |
Succeeded by John Jay |
| Legal offices | ||
| New title | Chancellor of New York 1777 - 1801 |
Succeeded by John Lansing, Jr. |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney |
United States Minister to France 1801 - 1804 |
Succeeded by John Armstrong, Jr. |
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