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660 provincial congress, which framed the first state constitution, but was again called into the field by congress, and appointed, 25 March, 1777, a briga- dier-general in the Continental army. Assisted by his brother James, he made a brilliant, though un- successful, defence, 6 Oct., 1777, of the Highland forts, Clinton and Montgomery, against Sir Henry Clinton. He was chosen fii'st governor of the state, 20 April, 1777, and in 1780 was re-elected to the office, which he retained by successive elections until 1795. From the period of his first occupa- tion of the gubernat«rial chair until its final re- linquishment he exhibited great energy of char- acter, and, in the defence of the state, rendered important services, both in a civil and military capacity. In 1780 he thwarted an expedition led by Sir John Johnson, Brant, and Cornplanter, into the Mohawk valley, and thus saved the settlers from the horrors of the torch and scalping-knife. He was active in preventing encroachments on the territory of New York by the settlers of the New Hampshire grants, and was largely instrumental with Timothy Pickering in concluding, after the war, lasting treaties of peace with the western In- dians. In 1783 he accompanied Washington and Hamilton on a tour of the northern and western posts of the state, on their return visiting, with Schuyler as a guide, the High -Rock Spring at Saratoga. While on this trip he first conceived the project of a canal between the Mohawk and Wood creek, which he recommended to the legislature in his speech opening the session of 1791, an idea that was subsequently carried out to its legitimate end in the Erie and Champlain canals by his nephew. Gov. De Witt Clinton. At the time of Shays's rebellion, 1787, he marched in person, at the head of the mi- litia, against the insurgents, and by this prompt action greatly aided the governor of Massachusetts in quelling that outbreak. In 1788 he presided at the state convention to ratify the Federal con- stitution, the adoption of which he opposed, be- lieving that too much power would tliereby pass to the Federal congress and the executive. At the first presidential election he received three of the electoral votes cast for the vice-presidency. In 1792, when Washington was re-elected, C!linton had for the same office fifty votes, and at the sixth presidential election, 1809-'18, he received six ballots from New York for the office of president. In 1800 he was chosen to the legislature after one of the most hotly contested elections in the annals of the state ; and in 1801 he was again governor. In 1804 he was elected vice-president of the United States, which office he filled until his death. His last important public act was to negative, by his casting vote in the senate, the renewal of the char- ter of the U. S. bank in 1811. He took great in- terest in education, and in his message at the opening session of the legislature of 1795 he in- itiated the movement for the organization of a common-school system. As a military man, Clin- ton was bold and courageous, and endowed with a will that rarely failed him in sudden emergencies. As a civil magistrate he was a stanch friend to literature and social order. In private life he was affectionate, winning, though dignified in his manner, strong in his dislikes, and warm in his friendships. The vast infiuence that he wielded was due more to sound judgment, marvellous energy, and great moral force of cliaracter, than to any specially high-sounding or brilliant achieve- ments. — James's son, De Witt, statesman, b. in Little Britain, New Windsor, Orange eo., N. Y., 2 March, 1769 ; d. in Albany, N. Y., 11 Feb., 1828, was graduated at Columbia in 1780, studied law under Samuel Jones in New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1788, but practised very little, preferring to take part in politics as an active republican. While the Federal constitution was still a subject for discussion, he wrote, under the signature of " A Countryman," a series of letters in reply to the " Federalist," and, when the constitution came up before the state convention for ratification, he reported for the press the debates of that body. In 1790 he became private secretary to his vmcle, George Clinton, then governor of New York, and was a leading champion, through the press, of his administration. He was also made one of the secretaries of the newly organized Board of re- gents of the state university, and secretary of the Board of commissioners of state fortifications. He left these offices when his uncle retired from the governorship in 1795, but continued to uphold the republican cause, opposing the administration of Gov. Jay and President John Adams. While as- sailing the federalists for their hostility to France, he nevertheless raised, equipped, and commanded a company of artillery for service in the event of war with that country. He also studied the natu- ral sciences at this time. He was chosen to the lower branch of the legislature in 1797, and from 1798 till 1802 was a member of the state senate. In 1801 he became a member of the governor's coun- cil, and revived an old claim of that body to a right of nomination co-ordinate with that of the governor. Gov. Jay adjourned the council, deny- ing this right, but Clinton defended his position in the legislature, and the matter was referred to the people, who supported his views by amending the state constitution. While in the state senate, Clinton worked to secure the public defence, for the passage of sanitary laws, tlie encourage- ment of agriculture, manufactures, and the arts, the relief of prisoners for debt, and the abolition of slavery in the state. He also used his infiuence to promote the use of steam in navigation. He was chosen to the U. S. senate in 1802, and while there distinguished himself by a powerful speech opposing war with Spain. He resigned in 1802, to take the office of mayor of New York, to which his uncle, now governor for the second time, had ap- pointed him. This office was then very important, the mayor of the city being also president of the council and chief judge of the court of common pleas. He continued mayor until 1815, with the exception of the years from 1807-'9 and 1810-'l. During this time he was also state senator from 1805 till 1811, lieutenant-governor from 1811 till 1813, and was also a member of the council of appointment. After his uncle, George Clinton, ceased to be prominent, on account of his advanced age, De Witt Clinton came to be regarded as a promising republican candidate for the presidency. Aaron Burr's disgrace I'emoved one of his rivals; but Clinton soon began to be looked on with dis- trust by his party, on account of his want of sym- pathy with some of President Jefferson's acts and with Madison's course previous to the war of 1812. He was suspected of a leaning toward the federal- ists, and was bitterly assailed by his enemies, toward whom his own course had never been mild. The republican caucus at Washington in 1812 re- nominated Madison : but Clinton, retaining his hold on the party in his own state, and relying on the support of the federalists, secured a nomina- tion from the republican members of the New York legislature. The result of the election was the choice of Madison by a majority of thirty-nine electoral votes. Clinton, having alienated his party by his course, without gaining the full sympathy