This Day In Founding Fathers History – 28 March

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This Day In Founding Fathers History – 28 March 2013

On this day in 1834, the Senate censured President Andrew Jackson. Jackson had vetoed an act to re-charter the Bank of the United States and then moved to withdraw federal deposits from the bank. Senator Henry Clay fought for a Senate resolution seeking a paper Jackson had read to his cabinet but Jackson refused and Clay introduced the censure resolution. After ten weeks of debate, the Senate voted 26-20 to censure Jackson for assuming power not conferred by the Constitution. Thomas Hart Benton campaigned for three years to have Jackson’s censure expunged from the record. In January 1837, Democrats regained control of the Senate and successfully voted to expunge the censure. ₁

One notable birthday on this day in 1674, that of William Byrd, also referred to as William Byrd II of Westover. Byrd was born in Virginia but as a young boy was sent to be educated in England. Byrd served on several occasions as Virginia’s official agent in London, frequently opposing the increasing power of the royal governors. Upon his return to Virginia at age 22, Byrd was elected to the House of Burgesses and later appointed to Virginia’s Council of State. He also commanded the militias of Charles City County and Henrico County in Virginia. Byrd also led surveying expeditions of the boundary between Carolina and Virginia. Byrd was a prolific writer, with extensive diaries, manuscripts of surveys, poems, satires, and stories. ₂

Another birthday on this day in 1793, that of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. Schoolcraft led exploratory expeditions, one to explore the Ozarks in 1818. Schoolcraft financed this expedition and intended to make a profit by publishing his findings about mineral resources in the area. He also was given an appointment as mineralogist and naturalist for the Cass Expedition, which explored along the Upper Mississippi River and Lake Superior. Schoolcraft was also appointed an Indian Agent for tribes in the Upper Great Lakes and wrote extensively about American Indian culture.  ₃

 

_{1 “Senate Censures President,” senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senate_Censures_President.htm
2 “William Byrd,” Encyclopedia Virginia, http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Byrd_William_1674-1744#start_entry
3 “Henry Rowe Schoolcraft,” http://www.rollanet.org/~conorw/cwome/article46-48combined.htm}