Forgotten Founders

Minnesota has planned a vibrant civic non-partisan celebration of American history, democracy, and the U.S. Presidency at the Minneapolis Convention Center during the Republican National Convention - CivicFest 2008. The featured exhibit on the U.S. Presidency will be Stanley L. Klos’ President Who? Forgotten Founders Exhibit. The anthology of rare documents focuses on the rise of the U.S. Presidency from 1774 to 1788.

Historical Documents of Freedom
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The Smithsonian Exhibit, The American Presidency, A Glorious Burden incorrectly interpreted the rise of the U.S. Presidency starting it with John Hanson as the First President of the Continental Congress. Hanson was the third President of the United States of America in Congress Assembled. In the background are Mr. Klos' contributions to the exhibit including an 18th Century printing of the Constitution of 1777 , Presidential letters and documents from John Hancock, Arthur St. Clair, Thomas McKean, Thomas Mifflin as presidents of the Continental Congress and the United States. Also including in the Smithsonian exhibit was the first public printing of the Constitution of 1787.

Click Here For 2008 CivicFest Exhibit Preview

President Who? Forgotten Founders is an exhibit of rare historic documents, manuscripts, letters, newspapers and broadsides that mark the lives of each of the fourteen men who served the American Colonies/States from 1774 to 1788. This exhibit will be unveiled at Minneapolis Convention Center during the 2008 Republican National Convention as part of the MSP 2008 Civic Fest. The first Presidents served under the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1781, while ten served as Presidents of the United States of America, 1781 - 1788 under the first federal constitution of 1777 that formed the “Perpetual Union.”

Arthur St. Clair

The Exhibit Features Oil Paintings of the 14 Presidents

The origin of the U.S. Presidency can be traced back to the convening of the American Colonial Congress on September 5, 1774 when the Delegates elected Peyton Randolph of Virginia as their President. Originally just called Congress, the word Continental was added to the name in 1775 to distinguish this Congress from the many Congresses being held throughout the Colonies. The Continental Congress would convene, as an Alliance, under an agreement known as the Articles of Association until 1777. The delegates of the Continental Congress passed the first federal constitution of the United States in 1777. The constitution was not ratified until 1781. It was under the first Federal Constitution of 1777 that the U.S. Presidency was born. The Continental Congress’ 1774 Articles of Association was an alliance between the Colonies, later States, and not a Constitution.

Test Your PRE-1789 U.S. PRESIDENCY I.Q.

by: Stanley L. Klos

Click Here For - 2004 Exhibit

There are two State ratified Federal Constitutions of the United States of America. One, the Articles of Confederation, was passed by the Delegates of the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777.[i] The Second Federal Constitution was approved by the Delegates of United States in Congress Assembled on September 28, 1787.[ii] The later was formulated by a Constitutional Convention held from May to September in 1787, chaired by George Washington, while the former was formed by the Delegates in Continental Congress, chaired by John Hancock and Henry Laurens in 1777.

The Current Federal Constitution of 1787 and its American Presidency resulted from a resolution passed by the United States in Congress Assembled under the first constitution, to “… render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union” [iii] thus ordering:

“Resolved that in the opinion of Congress it is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures such alterations and provisions therein as shall when agreed to in Congress and confirmed by the States render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union.” [iv]

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 produced the current U.S. Constitution. The Constitution of 1777 required 100% of the States to take affect but the Constitution of 1787 required only 4/5^th’s of the States for ratification. On June 21, 1788 New Hampshire [v] became the ninth state to ratify meeting the minimum state requirement. The Preamble of the Constitution of 1787 acknowledges the 1781 “Perpetual Union” stating:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." [vi]

This exhibit, President Who? Forgotten Founders covers the 1774 – 1789 U.S. Founding Era. The most salient points of the exhibit are summarized as follows:

1. The Journals of the Continental Congress and the United States in Congress Assembled clearly indicate that there were six Presidents of the Continental Congress and ten Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled before George Washington's Inauguration in 1789. Two of the Presidents, John Hancock and Samuel Huntington served in both offices bringing the total number of men holding office during the founding period to fourteen.

2. These Fourteen Presidents of United States/Colonies were elected by Congressional Delegates with each State, regardless of population, having only one vote.

3. Peyton Randolph, Henry Middleton and John Hancock served under the Colonial Articles of Association from 1774 to July 2, 1776.

4. John Hancock, Henry Laurens, John Jay, and Samuel Huntington served under the Articles of Association after Independence from July 2, 1776 to March 1, 1781.

5. The first federal constitution required ratification of all thirteen states and Virginia on December 16 1777 was the first to ratify the Articles of Confederation. Maryland held out until March 1, 1781 and on March 2, the Continental Congress was dissolved and the United States of America in Congress Assembled convened.

US Statehood Order
Articles of Confederation - 1 to 13 States
US Constitution - 37 to 50 States

6. On March 2, 1781, by virtue of the Constitution of 1777’s ratification, Samuel Huntington of Connecticut became the First President of the United States of America in Congress Assembled as recorded by the Journal of the United States in Congress Assembled:

The ratification of the Articles of Confederation being yesterday completed by the accession of the State of Maryland: The United States met in Congress, when the following members appeared: His Excellency Samuel Huntington, delegate for Connecticut, President.[viii]

Click Here to Purchase Samuel Huntington Coin
© Stanley L. Klos has a worldwide copyright on the artwork in this coin.
The artwork is not to be copied by anyone by any means
without first receiving permission from Stanley L. Klos.

Presidential $1 Coin Controversy - -- Click Here
Forgotten Founders vs. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson

7. Nine more Presidents of the United States under the Constitution of 1777 were duly elected by the States after Samuel Huntington. These Presidents utilized their office to exercise much influence on United States public affairs and legislation. The Presidents each had one vote in the unicameral government while presiding over the judicial, legislative and executive business of the United States of America. The Presidents had the power to call for the unicameral government’s assembly and adjournment. They signed military commissions, issued military orders, signed laws, treaties, and resolutions. They received, read, answered, and at their own discre­tion held or disseminated the official state and foreign correspondence to the United States. When U.S. or foreign dignitaries arrived at the Capitol they represented the United States of America as its Head of State receiving the guests and extending the nation’s official hospitality. [ix]

8. The government of the United States provided for the President’s expenses, servants, clerks, housing, and transportation. Their home state was expected to provide for their salary.

9. In 1789 the President of the United States of America, under the unicameral federal government, ceased to exist. The Federal Constitution of 1787 became the law and it reorganized the government into three distinct branches; Executive - President George Washington, Judicial – Chief Justice John Jay of the Supreme Court, Legislative – U.S. Senate President John Adams and U.S. House Speaker Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg.

10. On July 4, 1861 President Abraham Lincoln refused to recognize the Southern States’ secession, maintaining that original colonies were legally bound to the United States by their unanimous ratification of the "Perpetual Union" formed under the Articles of Confederation, the Federal Constitution of 1777. The first Constitution not only formed the Union but was utilized by President Lincoln as the legal grounds to wage war to “Preserve the Union."

The President Who? Forgotten Founders Exhibit is designed to enhance the understanding, of the birth and evolution of the United States of America. During this period the founders con­structed two different forms of federal self-government. The first constitution failed but the second has governed the U.S.A. for 220 years. This exhibit focuses on the fourteen men who for fourteen years governed the United States under a flawed colonial alliance and federal constitution.

It is appropriate that the MSP 2008 Civic Fest has hosted this exhibit as the origin of the U.S. Presidency is virtually unknown, even to those who are empowered to nominate John McCain as a possible successor to President George W. Bush. Additionally, the fourteen years of lessons learned from the failed Federal Constitution of 1777 are pertinent to many current events such as the five year old Iraq political struggled to form an effective democratic Republic.

Failure, more so then triumph, is mankind’s supreme educator. The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay, said of the Federal Constitution of 1777 and its unicameral government:

“the direction of general and national affairs is submitted to a single body of men, viz. the congress. They may make war; but are not empowered to raise men or money to carry it on. They may make peace; but without power to see the terms of it observed. They may form alliances, but without ability to comply with the stipulations on their part. They may enter into treaties of commerce; but without power to enforce them at home or abroad. They may borrow money; but without having the means of re-payment. They may partly regulate commerce; but without authority to execute their ordinances. They may appoint ministers and other officers of trust; but without power to try or punish them for misdemeanours. They may resolve; but cannot execute either with despatch or with secresy. In short, they may consul and deliberate and recommend and make requisitions; and they who please, may read them. From this new and wonderful system of government, it has come to pass, that almost every national object of every kind is, at this day, unprovided for; and other nations, taking the advantage of its imbecility, are daily multiplying commercial restraints upon us." [x]

Just because the first federal constitution of the United States failed the lives and deeds of its Presidents along with their fellow Delegates should not be forgotten. There is much to learn from their mistakes and triumphs. Exhibitor and author, Stanley L. Klos, remarks:

“I was fortunate enough to be born in the United States of America whose founders' deeds and laws circle above like majestic eagles. President Who? Forgotten Founders is merely a product of taking the time to look-up and point. History is the Crystal Ball to the Future; all you have to do is examine it!”

Perhaps the exhibit’s visitors along with the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury (who has it in his power to mint coins of the Constitution of 1777 Presidents) will look-up and point too!

Page Continued - 2008