(1732-1808) politician
The American Revolution was far more than simply a military conflict. It also was an era when ideas of political philosophy were fundamentally reconsidered. Questions were debated and discussed regarding the nature of government, the relations between citizens and the state, and how to create societies that have a proper balance of freedom and order. The American revolutionaries were forced to ask themselves whether they should break their ties with Great Britain, and if so, what kind of in dependent nation they would create. Among the brilliant men involved in these critical debates was John Dickinson.
Dickinson was born in Maryland to an ordinary Quaker family. They moved to Delaware when Dickinson was still very young, and throughout his adult life he was involved with the affairs of both Delaware and Pennsylvania. He began studying law in Philadelphia and spent three years in London completing his studies. Upon his return to America, he established a successful legal practice.
By the mid-1760s, relations between Great Britain and the American colonies were breaking down, beginning with the issue of the Stamp Act in 1765, when Britain attempted to tax the colonists without their consent. Elected to the legislative assembly of Pennsylvania, Dickinson began speaking out against British policies, which he felt were oppressive. He also began writing political tracts upholding his views. Soon his reputation spread throughout America and he became one of the most popular men in the colonies.
In late 1767 Dickinson began writing a series of articles titled Farmer’s Letters, in which he assumed the guise of an educated common man, a commonly used method for writing political tracts at the time. In these articles, he attacked the British legal and political positions with both logic and passion, laying out the arguments of the Americans in a clear and profound style. The Farmer’s Letters had an immense impact in both America and Britain, where they were reprinted with the help of Benjamin franklin. By 1774 Dickinson was one of the most popular men in America.
With the outbreak of military hostilities in 1775, Dickinson became a member of the Continental Congress, which struggled to fight a war wh-ile also endeavoring to solve the overall issues. Dickinson strongly opposed the movement to issue a declaration of independence, believing that some sort of compromise with Great Britain was still possible and that America could never survive on its own. He wrote an eloquent petition to King George III, which was rejected. His opposition to independence caused him to lose his popularity, and his final defeat was confirmed by the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.
Dickinson remained a patriot, serving in the American army during the war. Though he had opposed breaking away from Britain, once America was committed to independence, Dickinson fought hard for it. After his army service, he served in a variety of political offices in both Delaware and Pennsylvania.
After the war, Dickinson wrote in support of the U.S. Constitution but effectively retired from public life. He died in his home in Delaware on February 14.
Dickinson is remembered as an honest statesman who defended his beliefs even when they were not popular with the people. At the same time, he defended his nation with energy and determination, even when he believed it was moving in the wrong direction. His clear and sharp political writings stand as a model for not only the ideas they contained but also the manner in which they were written.
Works by John Dickinson
Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies. Murrieta, Calif.: Classic Textbooks, 2003. The Political Writings of John Dickinson. Edited by Paul Leicester Ford. New York: Da Capo Press, 1970.
Works about John Dickinson
Bradford, M. E. A Better Guide than Reason: Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Introduction by Russell Kirk. Somerset, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1994.
Flower, Milton E. John Dickinson: Conservative Revolutionary. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1983.
