Romulus Mitchell Saunders (March 3, 1791 – April 21, 1867) was an American politician from
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
.
Early life and education
Saunders was born near
Milton
Milton may refer to:
Names
* Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname)
** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet
* Milton (given name)
** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
,
Caswell County, North Carolina, the son of William and Hannah Mitchell Saunders. His mother died when Romulus was an infant, and his father subsequently moved him to
Sumner County, Tennessee. Following his father's death in 1803, uncle James Saunders became legal guardian and brought Romulus back to Caswell County to attend Hyco and Caswell Academies.
In 1809, Saunders enrolled at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. He was expelled in March 1810 for firing a pistol on campus and throwing "a stone at the Faculty". Nine years later, Saunders would be elected to the university's board of trustees, where he served for forty-five years.
Career
Early career
After his expulsion, Saunders moved to
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and read law under future Senator
Hugh Lawson White. He was admitted to the bar in
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
in 1812, and returned to Caswell County the same year. In 1815, he was elected to the
North Carolina House of Commons and soon after the
North Carolina Senate. In 1818 he returned to the House, and served as
Speaker of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
from 1819 to 1820.
U.S. House of Representatives
Saunders was elected to the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in
1820
Events
January–March
*January 1 – Nominal beginning of the Trienio Liberal in Spain: A constitutionalist military insurrection at Cádiz leads to the summoning of the Spanish Parliament (March 7).
*January 8 – General Maritime T ...
. As a congressman, Saunders was known for his unabashed pro-
states' rights opinions. Saunders was such a staunch supporter of
William H. Crawford's presidential campaign in the
1824 election that the eventual winner
John Quincy Adams referred to the congressman as the most "cankered or venomous reptile in the country".
As an admirer of
Nathaniel Macon, Saunders was a
fiscal conservative
Fiscal conservatism is a political and economic philosophy regarding fiscal policy and fiscal responsibility with an ideological basis in capitalism, individualism, limited government, and ''laissez-faire'' economics.M. O. Dickerson et al., ''An ...
, believing that "men in power are apt to think the peoples' money is intended to be expended in such way as their distempered fancy may support". Despite this, Saunders supported internal improvements such as roads and railroads projects.
State government
In 1828, Saunders left Congress to become
North Carolina Attorney General. He left the post in 1834 after receiving a presidential appointment on the French spoliations claims commission.
The
state legislature
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
appointed Saunders to the
North Carolina Superior Court The Superior Court is North Carolina's general jurisdiction trial court. It was established in 1777 and is North Carolina's oldest court.
Jurisdiction and administration
The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in North Caroli ...
in 1835 – an office he held until 1840 when he became the
Democratic nominee for
Governor of North Carolina
The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...
. After a contentious campaign, Saunders was defeated by
Whig nominee
John Motley Morehead
John Motley Morehead (July 4, 1796 – August 27, 1866) was an American lawyer and politician who became the 29th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina (1841 to 1845). He became known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."
Early and ...
.
During his time in state government, the
North Carolina Democratic Party
The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is the North Carolina affiliate of the Democratic Party. It is headquartered in the historic Goodwin House, located in Raleigh.
Governor Roy Cooper is a North Carolina Democrat. Since the 2010 passage of ...
split into two factions. Saunders led the states' rights faction, which believed in the ideas of
John C. Calhoun
John Caldwell Calhoun (; March 18, 1782March 31, 1850) was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina who held many important positions including being the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He ...
. The more moderate wing was led by
Bedford Brown
Bedford Brown (June 6, 1795 – December 6, 1870) was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic United States Senate, United States Senator from the State of North Carolina between 1829 and 1840.
Biography
Bedford Brown was born on June 6, ...
, a fellow Caswell native and political enemy to Saunders. When Democrats gained control of the state legislature in 1842, both Brown and Saunders ran for the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
seat. Neither man received a majority of votes, and the seat went to
William Henry Haywood Jr.
William Henry Haywood Jr. (October 23, 1801October 7, 1852) was a United States Democratic Party, Democratic United States Senate, U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1843 and 1846.
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina to a prominent ...
Return to Congress
Saunders returned to Congress following his election in
1840
Events
January–March
* January 3 – One of the predecessor papers of the ''Herald Sun'' of Melbourne, Australia, ''The Port Phillip Herald'', is founded.
* January 10 – Uniform Penny Post is introduced in the United Kingdom.
* Janua ...
, where he became an outspoken opponent of
Martin Van Buren and his allies who opposed the annexation of Texas. At the
1844 Democratic National Convention
The 1844 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held in Baltimore, Maryland from May 27 through 30. The convention nominated former Governor James K. Polk of Tennessee for president and former Senator George M. Dal ...
, Saunders sponsored a resolution requiring a two-thirds vote for the selection of a presidential candidate. This paved the way for the nomination of
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...
.
Minister to Spain
Perhaps as an act of appreciation for helping him win the Democratic presidential nomination, President Polk appointed Saunders as minister plenipotentiary to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
in 1846. This coincided with the nation's increasing desire to procure Cuba, not only in the context of manifest destiny but also in the interest of Southern power. Cuba, with some half a million slaves, would provide Southerners with extra leverage in Congress. In the late 1840s, President
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...
dispatched Saunders with a mission to offer $100 million to buy Cuba. Saunders however did not speak Spanish, and as then Secretary of State
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
noted "even
nglishhe sometimes murders". Saunders was a clumsy negotiator, which both entertained and angered the Spanish. Spain replied that they would "prefer seeing
ubasunk in the ocean" than sold. It may have been a moot point anyway, as it is unlikely that the Whig majority House would have accepted such an obviously pro-Southern move. The 1848 election of
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
, a Whig, ended formal attempts to purchase the island.
At any rate, the media leaked news of Saunders' attempts, causing negotiations to falter. Saunders resigned from his post in 1849.
Return to state government
Saunders moved to
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...
, and in 1850 was elected to represent
Wake County in the House of Commons. As representative, Saunders became a supporter of constructing the
North Carolina Railroad.
Saunders again attempted to be appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1852. The legislature could not agree on whom to appoint, and the seat remained open until the appointment of
David Settle Reid
David Settle Reid (April 19, 1813 – June 19, 1891) was the 32nd governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1851 to 1854 and a U.S. Senator from December 1854 to March 1859. His uncle was Congressman Thomas Settle.
He was born in wha ...
in 1854. The legislature did, however, reappoint Saunders to the Superior Court.
Personal life
Saunders married Rebecca Peine Carter on December 27, 1812. The marriage produced five children: James, Franklin, Camillus, Anne Peine, and Rebecca. Rebecca later died, and Saunders married Anne Heyes Johnson (the daughter of
William Johnson) on May 26, 1823. The couple had at least four children: William Johnson, Margaret Madeline, Jane Claudia, and Julia A.
Around 1831, the Saunders family purchased the
Elmwood estate in Raleigh – the former home of
John Louis Taylor
John Louis Taylor (March 1, 1769 – January 29, 1829) was an American jurist and first chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Born in London, England, he is the only foreign-born Chief Justice in state history. He was brought to Amer ...
. Saunders died there on April 21, 1867, and was buried in the Old City Cemetery.
References
Samuel A. Ashe, ed., ''Biographical History of North Carolina'', vol. 3 (1905).
''Biog. Dir. Am. Cong.'' (1961).
*Joseph Blount Cheshire, ''Nonnulla: Memories, Stories, Traditions, More or Less Authentic'' (1930).
*''DAB'', vol. 8 (1935).
*A. R. Newsome, ed., "Letters of Romulus M. Saunders to Bartlett Yancey, 1821-1828," ''North Carolina Historical Review'' 8 (1931).
*William S. Powell, ''When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County, North Carolina, 1777-1977'' (1977).
*James Edmonds Saunders, ''Early Settlers of Alabama'' (1899).
External links
Caswell County Historical AssociationRomulus Saunders entry in the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress Romulus Saunders Find-A-Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Romulus Mitchell
1791 births
1867 deaths
People from Caswell County, North Carolina
Burials at City Cemetery (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Ambassadors of the United States to Spain
North Carolina Attorneys General
North Carolina state court judges
North Carolina Democratic-Republicans
19th-century American diplomats
Democratic-Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina
19th-century American politicians
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina
19th-century American lawyers
19th-century American judges