Daniel Carroll

Daniel Carroll ( born July 22, 1730 in Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County, Maryland, † July 5, 1796 in Washington DC ) was an American politician and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a cousin of Charles Carroll, who signed the American Declaration of Independence and brother of John Carroll, who was the first Catholic bishop in the United States. Daniel was one of only five men who signed both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States.

Early years

Daniel Carroll spent his early years on the family property, Darnall 's Chance, Maryland. He then went to Europe, where he studied with the Jesuits at the College of St. Omer in Flanders 1742-1748. After his return to the United States he was only gradually becoming a patriot. As a landowner he was concerned that the revolution could fail economically, which would not only be the financial ruin of his family, but also of the common people. Furthermore, he was initially prevented from doing so by Maryland law a public official to hold, as they forbade a Catholic. When these laws by the constitution of Maryland from 1776 repealed, the way was open for his election to the House of Lords, where he worked 1777-1781. After that, he was 1781-1784 Member of the Continental Congress. During this time he signed the Articles of Confederation in 1781. His commitment during the Revolutionary War, as the other members of his noble family, was inspired by the ancient family motto: "Strong in Faith and War".

Constituent Assembly of 1787

Carroll was an active member of the Constituent Assembly, in spite of the fact that an illness prevented him from taking part in the early sessions. Like his good friend James Madison, he was convinced that a strong central government was needed to regulate trade between the States and other nations. Carroll also spoke out repeatedly against the payment of members of the U.S. Congress by the respective States. He argued that such compensation would sabotage the power of the new government because

"the dependence of Both Houses on the state Legislatures would be compleat .... The new government in this form is nothing more than a second edition of [the Continental ] Congress in two volumes, instead of one, and with very few Perhaps amend ment "

He was of the opinion that the government power should lie with the people, and so he joined James Wilson in his struggle for sovereignty in general. As has been suggested that the U.S. president should be elected by the U.S. Congress, it was Carroll, assisted by James Wilson, who inspired the words by the legislature to replace it with the people. He was one of only two Roman Catholic delegates who signed the Constitution.

Carroll stayed away until July 9, the Constituent Assembly, visited her but then at regular intervals. He spoke about 20 times during the debates and served on the Committee on Postponed Matters. After the meeting, he returned to Maryland, where he advocated the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He was not a delegate to the future Constituent Assembly of Maryland.

Further CV

After the meeting, Carroll went according to state and national issues. He was a key figure in the ratification process in Maryland. He also defended the Constitution in the Maryland Journal, in particular, in his reply to the arguments of the well known Antifederalists Samuel Chase. Following the ratification in Maryland Carroll represented the sixth constituency in the first U.S. Congress, where his interest in the economic and fiscal stability was considered. In this regard, he agreed to the adoption of the state debts by the federal government.

Later, he again served in the Senate of Maryland and examined as one of three commissioners appointed the District of Columbia. After that, he was a commissioner (co - mayor) of new capital, but led his advanced age and poor health in 1795 to his resignation. Then, his interest was the welfare of his region. In his final years he was one of George Washington's partners in the Patowmack Company, a company that intended the Middle States with the expanding west to connect through the Potomac River channel.