John Peter Richardson Sr.

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John Peter Richardson

John Peter Richardson II (born April 14, 1801 in Clarendon County , South Carolina , † January 24, 1864 in Fulton , South Carolina) was an American politician and governor of the state of South Carolina from 1840 to 1842 .

Early years and political advancement

John Richardson came from a prominent political family in South Carolina. Among his relatives were four other South Carolina governors, each named either Richardson or Manning. Young John first attended the Moses Waddel's School in Willington and then studied at South Carolina College in Columbia , later the University of South Carolina . After studying law and admission to the bar, he practiced in Fulton. Between 1825 and 1834 he was a member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina . He was also a delegate to the 1832 convention that discussed the nullification crisis . It is noteworthy that Richardson was not a supporter of the nullification movement, so he opposed attempts to override federal laws for South Carolina. From 1834 to 1836 he was a member of the South Carolina Senate ; from 1836 to 1839 he represented his state in the US House of Representatives in Washington .

Governor of south carolina

In the late 1830s, the Whigs' party gained significantly more influence at the federal level. In 1840, they even won the presidential election with William Henry Harrison . In South Carolina it was feared that the Whigs would favor the north and introduce new protective tariffs to the detriment of the south . For this reason they wanted to create a counterweight. Therefore, the contradictions within the Democratic Party that had been torn up in the nullification crisis in 1832 were reduced. Both factions agreed on a common political line. As a result, a candidate for governor was elected with John Richardson who had opposed the annulment of the federal laws in 1832. Senator John C. Calhoun was instrumental in this process .

Richardson's tenure began on December 10, 1840 and ended two years later on December 1, 1842. Richardson's biggest problem was the Bank of South Carolina . This rejected new laws to control the banking system, which had been passed as a result of the economic crisis of 1837 , categorically. The dispute over this issue has been brought to court repeatedly. In the last instance, the bank was defeated, but the conflict continued for some time. A new federal customs bill passed in 1842 also caused unrest in South Carolina, although the reactions cannot be compared to the nullification crisis ten years earlier. It is also noteworthy that it was during Governor Richardson's tenure that plans were drawn up to establish a military academy in South Carolina. The academy itself, dubbed The Citadel , opened in Charleston in December 1842, a few weeks after his tenure ended . This academy, which still exists today, is one of the most famous US military academies after West Point .

Further life

Even after his resignation from the governor's office, Richardson remained politically active. In the 1850s he took part in several conferences of the southern states at which a further course of action in the emerging conflict with the north was discussed. In December 1860, John Richardson was also a delegate at the Congress that decided South Carolina's exit from the Union ( secession ). He co-signed this Ordinance of Secession .

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personal data
SURNAME Richardson, John Peter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH April 14, 1801
PLACE OF BIRTH Clarendon County , South Carolina
DATE OF DEATH January 24, 1864
Place of death Fulton , South Carolina