Richard Bassett represented the State of Delaware at the Constitutional Convention. After leading the ratification effort, he went on to serve in the new United States Senate and as Chief Justice of the Delaware Court of Common Pleas.
Early Life
Richard Bassett was born in Cecil County, Maryland on April 2, 1745. After completing his preparatory and legal studies, Bassett was admitted to the bar. He subsequently opened a law practice in Dover, Maryland. He was well-respected in the community, as a devout Methodist, lawyer and farmer.
During the American Revolution, Bassett captained a troop of Dover cavalry militia and served on the Delaware council of safety. He attended the convention that drafted Delaware’s constitution and served in the state legislature for four terms.
Constitutional Convention
Bassett represented Delaware at the Annapolis Convention and later at the Constitutional Convention. He favored a strong national government, although he was not among the Convention’s vocal delegates. William Pierce stated that “he is a religious enthusiast, lately turned Methodist, and serves his Country because it is the will of the people that he should do so.”
As a representative of a smaller state, Bassett strongly supported the Great Compromise, which established a national legislature comprised of the Senate where each state had two representatives and the House of Representatives where the number of representatives was based on population.
After the signing of the new Constitution, Bassett championed ratification in his home state. Thanks to his efforts, Delaware became the first state in the new nation to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.
Public Office
Bassett represented Delaware in the United States Senate from March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1793. In 1793, Bassett became the first chief justice of the Delaware Court of Common Pleas. In 1796, he served as a member of the Electoral College in the presidential election, throwing his support behind or John Adams. In 1799, Bassett was elected Governor of Delaware. He served until 1801, when he was nominated to a newly-created seat on the U.S. Circuit Court for the Third Circuit. His service ended on July 1, 1802, due to the abolition of the court.
After leaving the federal bench, Bassett returned to private life. He died on August 15, 1815, on his estate Bohemia Manor in Cecil County, the same county in which he was born.
