When Charleston was captured by Sir Henry Clinton in 1780, Gov. Rutledge retired into North Carolina, and until the close of hostilities accompanied the army of Gen. Nathanael Greene, and participated in its operations. When South Carolina was partly redeemed from the conquerors, he resumed the duties of governor, summoning the assembly at Jacksonborough in January, 1782. He retired from the governorship in that year, and was elected to the Continental congress. In that body he opposed a general impost, except for the purpose of paying the army. He was returned to congress in 1783, and in March, 1784, after declining the mission to the Hague, he was appointed chancellor of South Carolina. He was a member of the convention that framed the Federal constitution, in which he was one of a committee of five that reported a ratio of representation more favorable to the south than that which was finally adopted, and was chairman of the committee of detail. He advocated the assumption of all the state debts by the Federal government, threatened a secession of the south if the slave-trade were prohibited, proposed that congress should elect the president, and in the discussion of the powers and constitution of the judiciary exercised an influential voice. When the constitution went into operation he was nominated a justice of the U. S. supreme court, but declined in order to accept the chief justiceship of his native state. On 1 July, 1795, he was appointed chief justice of the U. S. supreme court. He presided at the August term, but when the senate met in December his mind had become diseased, and the nomination was rejected. — His brother, Hugh, jurist, b. in Charleston, S. C., about 1741; d. there in January, 1811, acquired his legal education in London, returned after completing his term at the Temple, and took high rank at the bar of South Carolina. He was appointed judge of admiralty at Charleston in 1770, and was speaker of the legislative council in 1777-'8. After Charleston surrendered, he was sent with his brother Edward and other patriots to St. Augustine. In 1782-'5 he was speaker of the state house of representatives. In 1791 he was chosen by the legislature one of the three judges of the court of equity as reconstituted by a lately enacted law, which office he filled till his death. —
|
|
Another brother, Edward, statesman, b. in Charleston, S. C., 23 Nov., 1749; d. there, 23 Jan., 1800, was the youngest of the family. After acquiring a classical education and reading law with his brother, he was entered as a student at the Temple, London, in 1769. He attended the courts of law and the houses of parliament for four years, and, on being called to the bar, returned to Charleston and entered into practice. He married Harriet, a daughter of Henry Middleton, soon after his arrival. In 1774 he was sent to the Continental congress. He took an active part in the discussion that preceded the Declaration of Independence, of which he was one of the signers, and remained a member of con- gress till 1777. On 12 June, 1776, he was appointed on the first board of war. He was delegated, with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, to confer with Lord Howe with reference to Howe's proposals for a reconciliation. The representatives of congress met the British admiral on Staten island 11 Sept., 1776, but refused to treat with him except on the basis of a recognition of American independence. In 1779 he was again elected to congress, but he was unable to attend on account of sickness. As captain in the Charleston artillery. of which he afterward became lieutenant-colonel, he assisted in dislodging British regulars from the island of Port Royal in 1779. While Charleston was invested, in May, 1780. he was sent out by Gen. Benjamin Lincoln to hasten the march of re-enforcements, but fell into the hands of the enemy. With others who were called dangerous rebels, he was sent to St. Augustine after the capitulation. and confined there for a year. After he was exchanged he resided in Philadelphia until the British withdrew from South Carolina. He was a member of the legislature that assembled at Jacksonborough in 1782, and assented to the bill of penalties against the Tories that was subsequently rescinded. On the evacuation of Charleston he returned to his home and resumed professional practice, which he continued with success for seventeen years. During that time he was an active member of the legislature. He effectually resisted the efforts that were made to revive the slave-trade as long as he had a voice in the public business of the state. He was a member of the State constitutional convention of 1790, and the author of the law abolishing the rights of primogeniture that was enacted in 1791. He declined the office of associate justice of the U. S. supreme court in 1794, and was elected governor of South Carolina in 1798, but did not live to complete his term. — John's son, John, member of congress, b. in Charleston, S. C., in 1766; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 1 Sept., 1819, studied law with his father. He was elected to congress as a Federalist, and twice re-elected, serving from 15 May, 1797, till 3 March, 1803. — The first John's grandson, Edward, clergyman, b. in Charleston, S. C., in 1797; d. in Savannah, Ga., 13 March, 1832, was graduated at Yale in 1817, and was admitted to orders in Christ church, Middletown, Conn., 17 Nov., 1819, by Bishop Brownell. Several years afterward he became professor of moral philosophy in the University of Pennsylvania, and he was president-elect of Transylvania university at the time of his death. Mr. Rutledge published “The Family Altar” (New Haven, 1822), and a “History of the Church of England” (Middletown, Conn., 1825). — Hugh's son, Francis Huger, P. E. bishop, b. in Charleston, S. C., 11 April, 1799; d. in Tallahassee, Fla., 6 Nov., 1866, was graduated at Yale in 1821, studied at the General theological seminary, New York city, and was ordained deacon in 1823 and priest on 20 Nov., 1825. He had charge of a church on Sullivan's island in 1827-'39, was rector of Trinity church, St. Augustine, Fla., in 1839-'45, then became rector of St. John's church, Tallahassee, and was consecrated bishop of Florida on 15 Oct., 1851. The degree of D. D. was conferred on him by Hobart in 1844. He published occasional sermons.
RUTTENHER. Edward Mannnig. antiquary, b. in Benningtou, Vt,. 17 July, 1824. He learned the printer's trade in Newburg, N. Y., and was the publisher of the "Telegraph." except during two years, from 1850 till 1870. He has published a "History of Newburg" (Newburg, 1959); "Ob-
