George W. Campbell

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Portrait of George W. Campbell in the Treasury

George Washington Campbell (born February 9, 1769 in Tongue , Scotland , † February 17, 1848 in Nashville , Tennessee ) was an American politician ( Democratic Republican Party ) who belonged to the cabinet of US President James Madison as Treasury Secretary .

Family, studies and professional career

Campbell came from a Scottish Highlands family who settled in North Carolina in 1772 . After a general education at the College of New Jersey , which he graduated in 1794, he completed a degree in law . Shortly after admission to the North Carolina bar, he opened a law firm in Knoxville .

Between 1809 and 1811 he was an associate judge on the Tennessee Supreme Court .

Political career

Congressman and US Senator

Campbell began his political career in 1803 with the election to the US House of Representatives . There he represented the interests of the state of Tennessee until 1809 and was chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means from 1807 to 1809 .

On October 8, 1811, he was elected US Senator for the first time after the resignation of Jenkin Whiteside . He held this mandate until February 11, 1814. On October 10, 1815 he was re-elected to the Senate. During his tenure he was from December 4, 1815 until his resignation on April 20, 1818 also chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.

Finance Minister and Ambassador to Russia

On February 4, 1814, US President James Madison appointed him to succeed Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin in his cabinet . The dramatic budget situation caused by the British-American War of 1812 determined his budgetary policy from the start . Since no investment funds were available, he had to convince the citizens to take up government bonds. Due to the catastrophic financial situation, however, he was forced to issue these bonds at maximum interest rates . After the British Army occupied Washington, DC in September 1814, the government's reputation was at an all-time low.

After he had not achieved any noticeable improvement in the household situation, he resigned from this office on October 5, 1814 for health reasons.

In April 1818 he accepted his appointment as ambassador to Russia , where he succeeded William Pinkney . After his resignation from this office in 1821, he largely withdrew from political life and later settled as a lawyer in Nashville until his death. Only from 1831 to 1835 was he still on a commission that dealt with claims for damages due to French looting.

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personal data
SURNAME Campbell, George W.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Campbell, George Washington (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American Democratic Republican Party politician
DATE OF BIRTH February 9, 1769
PLACE OF BIRTH Tongue , Scotland
DATE OF DEATH February 17, 1848
Place of death Nashville , Tennessee