George W. Campbell

George Washington Campbell
Engraved portrait of George W. Campbell
United States Senator from Tennessee
In office October 10, 1815 – April 20, 1818
Preceded by	Joseph Anderson
Succeeded by	John H. Eaton
5th United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office February 9, 1814 – October 5, 1814
President	James Madison
Preceded by	Albert Gallatin
Succeeded by	Alexander J. Dallas
United States Senator from Tennessee
In office October 8, 1811 – February 11, 1814
Preceded by	Jenkin Whiteside
Succeeded by	John Williams
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Robert Weakley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's AL district
In office March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	None
Personal details
Born	(1769-02-09)February 9, 1769 Tongue, Highland, Scotland
Died	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse(s)	Harriot Stoddert Campbell
Alma mater	College of New Jersey
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

George Washington Campbell (February 9, 1769 – February 17, 1848) was an American statesman who served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, U.S. Ambassador to Russia and the 5th United States Secretary of the Treasury from February to October 1814.

Biography

Born in Tongue, Highland, he immigrated as a young lad to North Carolina in 1772 with his parents. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (which is now Princeton University) in 1794 and began studying law. He was admitted to the bar in North Carolina and began practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee.

U.S. House

He was elected to the United States House of Representatives as the Representative from Tennessee's at-large congressional district in 1803. He served in the House from 1805–1809, in the 8th, 9th, and 10th Congresses. During the 10th Congress, he was the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He was also one of the managers appointed in 1804 to conduct the impeachment hearings for John Pickering, judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, and later in the same year, the impeachment hearings against Samuel Chase, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He wounded Representative Barrent Gardiner of New York during a duel at Blandensburg, Maryland in 1808. Source Wikipedia article on Barrent Gardiner

He left Congress in 1809 to become judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court, serving until 1811.

U.S. Senate and ambassadorship

He served as a United States Senator from Tennessee twice, once from 1811 to 1814, having been elected to fill the seat of Jenkin Whiteside, and again from 1815 to 1818. His first service was from October 8, 1811 to February 11, 1814, when he resigned to accept appointment as the United States Secretary of the Treasury. He returned to the Senate on October 10, 1815. He served as the first chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and its predecessor from December 4, 1815, until his resignation from the Senate on April 20, 1818; on this occasion to accept appointment as United States Ambassador to Russia, a position he held from 1818-1821. Campbell served as a member of the French Spoliation Claims Commission in 1831.

Secretary of the Treasury

Appointed Secretary of the Treasury by James Madison, he faced national financial disorder brought on by the War of 1812. Congress had failed to recharter the First Bank of the United States after its charter expired in 1811, and appropriations for the war were unavailable, so Campbell had to convince Americans to buy government bonds. He was forced to meet to lenders terms, selling government bonds at exorbitant interest rates. In September, 1814 the British occupied Washington, D.C. and the credit of the government was lowered even further. Campbell was unsuccessful in his efforts to raise money through additional bond sales and he resigned that October after only eight months in office, disillusioned and in bad health.

He died in 1848 and is buried at Nashville City Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

Campbell County, Tennessee, is named in his honor.

References

• George W. Campbell at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Google Books, page 272 for Year 1794

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by None (new seat)	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's at-large congressional district March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805 Served alongside: William Dickson and John Rhea, in a 3-seat district	Succeeded by None (seat eliminated)
Preceded by None (new district)	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 2nd congressional district March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809	Succeeded by Robert Weakley
United States Senate
Preceded by Jenkin Whiteside	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Tennessee October 8, 1811 – February 11, 1814 Served alongside: Joseph Anderson	Succeeded by John Williams
Preceded by Joseph Anderson	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Tennessee October 10, 1815 – April 20, 1818 Served alongside: Jesse Wharton, John Williams	Succeeded by John H. Eaton
Preceded by None (Committee created)	Chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Finance and a Uniform National Currency 1815 – 1816	Succeeded by None (Select committee was replaced by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee)
Preceded by None (New standing committee created to replace U.S. Senate Select Committee on Finance and a Uniform National Currency)	Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance 1816 – 1818	Succeeded by John W. Eppes
Political offices
Preceded by Albert Gallatin	U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Served under: James Madison February 9, 1814 – October 5, 1814	Succeeded by Alexander J. Dallas