William Branch Giles

William Branch Giles ( born August 12, 1762 in Amelia County, Virginia; † December 4, 1830 ) was an American politician and from 1827 to 1830 Governor of Virginia. He also represented his country in both chambers of the U.S. Congress.

Early years and political rise

William Giles visited the Prince Edward Academy, from which today's Hampden - Sydney College has emerged, and then until 1781, the College of New Jersey, today's Princeton University. He then studied at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg Jura and in 1786 admitted to the bar. As a result, he practiced in St. Petersburg.

Giles was a member, founded by Thomas Jefferson Democratic- Republican Party. After the death of Congressman Theodorick Bland Giles took over his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. After he was then self- selected more than once in this body, he could exercise his mandate between 7 December 1790 and 2 October 1798. On this day he resigned for health reasons and anger over the so-called Alien and Sedition Acts of the Federal Government under President John Adams. During this time he supported his party colleague James Madison in its confrontation with Alexander Hamilton. Between 1798 and 1800 William Giles was a member of the House of Representatives from Virginia. Of 4 March 1801 to 3 March 1803 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the United States for a further term of office.

William Giles in the U.S. Senate

Following the resignation of Abraham B. Venable Giles took over the seat of the Class 1 in the U.S. Senate. This mandate he held just under four months from until 3 December 1804. Meanwhile he had been elected as the successor to Wilson Cary Nicholas and Andrew Moore as a Class 2 senator. Overall, Giles was in 1815 a member of the Senate between 11 August 1804 and 3 March. There he sat down unsuccessfully for the dismissal of the controversial federal judge Samuel Chase. He supported initially the policies of President Madison, but then distanced himself from him, though he reluctantly agreed for the British -American War of 1812. With Treasury Albert Gallatin Giles did not really understand; he prevented a possible appointment as Foreign Minister Gallatin. In 1814 Giles was not nominated by the Legislature of Virginia for re-election.

Governor of Virginia

In the years 1816 and 1817 and 1826-1827, he was again a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies of Virginia. He was an opponent of President John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, whose policies he condemned. After the dissolution of his party, he joined the new Democratic Party of Andrew Jackson. In 1825 William Giles ran unsuccessfully for a return to the U.S. Senate. Two years later he was elected governor of his state. This office he held between 4 March 1827 to 4 March 1830. In the years 1829 and 1830 he was a delegate at a conference on the revision of the Constitution of Virginia. In 1830 he was elected again as governor. But Giles refused this choice. He died in December of the same year. Governor William Giles was married twice.