Home Biographies -Signers of the Declaration -Signers of the A. O. C. -Signers of the U. S. Constitution -Wives of the Signers -Other Founders Documents Forum FAQs Search

Edmund Randolph ?-1813 Among the most important members of the convention which framed the Constitution of the United States, was Edmund Randolph, the only son of John Randolph, attorney-general of Virginia. Of his birth and youthful career History bears no record. He was quite a young man when the Revolution commenced, and was one of Washington's aids, at Cambridge, in 1775. He left, the army in November following, and returned to Virginia, on account of the death of his relative, Peyton Randolph, president of the Continental Congress. Four years later he was elected a member of that body, and represented his native State there until March, 1782. He succeeded Patrick Henry as governor of Virginia, in 1786, and it was chiefly through his agency that Washington was persuaded to represent that State in the Federal Convention, in 1787. Randolph was very active in that convention, but, like Patrick Henry, he was so jealous of State Rights, that he declined to affix his name to the Constitution, desiring to be free to act upon it afterward, as his judgment or the opinions of his constituents might dictate.1 When the time came to act, his desire for union overcame his narrower scruples; and in the Virginia State Convention he eloquently advocated the adoption of the Federal Constitution. Washington made him the first attorney-general of the United States, under that compact; and in 1794, Randolph succeeded Mr. Jefferson as Secretary of State. He resigned that office in August, 1795, and turned his attention to his embarrassed private affairs. His resignation was in consequence of some misunderstanding with the administration; and in the Autumn of that year he published a Vindication. He then withdrew from public life, and never again entered the arena. He died in Frederick county, Virginia, on the 12th of September, 1813. 1 He endeavored to procure a vote in the convention, authorizing amendments to be submitted by the State conventions, and to be finally decided on by another general convention. This proposition was rejected. Designed and Edited by John Vinci Last modified December 24, 2004