The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-01

Hanson has been pushed with great vehemence
or has attained any great vogue. In good time
the legend John Hanson, first President of the
United States, will also be assigned its appro-
pirate niche in the Hall OF Myths.
1.-THE plain truth of the matter Is that not one
of the presidents Of the Continental congress,
from Peyton Randolph TO Cyrus Griffin, was
ever President of the United States, either in
fact, by title of courtesy, or otherwise The first
to hold that office, the first TO bear that title,
was George Washington; and all those who seek
to bestow the title Of first President Of the Unit
ed States upon any president whomsoever of the
old Congress are but chasing shadows, pursu-
ing will-o-the- wisps.
The Hanson thesis, which has had its own
variations in the course Of its career has now
assumed substantially this form: John Hanson
was the first President of the United States,
because he was the first President of congress
under the articles of confederation, the first con-
stitulion OF the United States. This is the basic
argument of the Hanson proponents, and 1t is
to this argument that we shall, in the main.
devote our examination.
"Was John Hanson actually the first Presi-
dent of congress under the articles of confed-
Grafton? Those articles, it should be recalled
were adopted by congress on November Is, 1T77,
and two days later were sent forth to the sew
ton. Some of the states readily assented, others
ratified with certain provisos, while still others
led by Maryland held back until their views
with regard to the disposition of the western
lands should be agreed to.
"By July, 177S, all the states except Mary
land, New Jersey, and Delaware had ratified
the articles as they stood, and a few months
later New Jersey and Delaware also came for.
ward with their ratifcations; but Maryland
stood stoutly by her demand respecting the west.
ern lands (and a most praseworthy demand II
was), and not until her demands had been es
sentially complied with did that state agree to
ratify.
The final step taken on the first OF
March, 17S1 when the delegates Of Maryland In
congress, John Hanson and Daniel Carroll, ap
pended their signatures to the articles of con-
federation.
AT the time of Maryland's ratification of the
confederation Samuel Huntington of Connecticut
was president of congress and had been since
September 2S, 1779. There was no new election
of a president of the body at that time, but on
July 6, 1881, President Huntington gave notice
10 congress that the state Of his health would
not permit him to continue longer In the exer
else of the duties of the Presidency, and on
July congress chose as his successor Samuel
Johnston of North Carolina.
ION the following day, however, Johnston pre-
sented his declination, offering such reasons as
were satisfactory whereupon Thomas McKeaI
of Delaware was elected President July 10Y
Mexican served as President of congress until
the election of John Hanson on Monday, No
vember s.
1T is to be observed. then, that TWO Presi
dents, Huntington and Mexican, had served be
tween March 1 and November 5, 1871, and an
other had been chosen but had declined the of
fee. chief question therefore is, whether the
Presidents between March l and November 5
1871, served under the articles of confederation
or whether John Hanson was the first to serve
under and by virtue of that instrument The
| question hinges on whether the articles of con
federation were actually in force during thai
interval"
| Doctor Burnett declares that they were actu
ally in force. He continues:
ITO contend, as do the protagonists in behal
| of John Hanson as the first President of tht
United States, that the articles of confederation
did not come into force until the first Monday
in November. 1871, is to contradict official RECORD
and official Interpretation.
! LAS an instance of the lengths to which thi