CAMPBELL, THERESA J., Ph.D. Political Friendship in Early America. (2010) Directed by Dr. Robert M. Calhoon. 250 pp. During the turbulent decades that encompassed the transition of the North American colonies into a Republic, America became the setting for a transformation in the context of political friendship. Traditionally the alliances established between elite, white, Protestant males have been most studied. These former studies provide the foundation for this work to examine the inclusion of ―others‖ -- political relationships formed with and by women, persons of diverse ethnicities and races, and numerous religious persuasions -- in political activity. From the outset this analysis demonstrates the establishment of an uniquely American concept of political friendship theory which embraced ideologies and rationalism. Perhaps most importantly, the work presents criteria for determining early American political friendship apart from other relationships. The central key in producing this manuscript was creating and applying the criteria for identifying political alliances. This study incorporates a cross-discipline approach, including philosophy, psychology, literature, religion, and political science with history to hone a conception of political friendship as understood by the Founding Generation. The arguments are supported by case studies drawn from a wide variety of primary documents. The result is a fresh perspective and a new approach for the study of eighteenth century American history. POLITICAL FRIENDSHIP IN EARLY AMERICA by Theresa J. Campbell A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Greensboro 2010 Approved by Robert M. Calhoon______________ Committee Chair © 2010. Theresa J. Campbell. APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair ___________________________________ Robert M. Calhoon Committee Member ___________________________________ Phyllis W. Hunter __________________________________ Cheryl A. Logan __________________________________ Linda M. Rupert ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee ____________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... vi A NOTE ON THE TRANSCRIPTION OF PRIMARY DOCUMENTS ........................ viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1 Identifying Political Friendship in Early America .................................3 Classical Thought and Colonial Revolutionary Philosophy in the Theory of Political Friendship ..........................................................8 The Enlightenment and American Political Friendship .......................15 Ideal Typology in Political Friendship ................................................19 Historiography Relevant to Political Friendship Theory .....................25 Methodology ........................................................................................30 A Note on the Application of Psychology ...........................................32 Chapter Descriptions ............................................................................33 II. AN IMPERIAL PROJECT GONE WRONG? ..........................................38 Political Friendship Crossing Gender and Race: Sir William Johnson and Molly Brant .............................................38 III. INTELLECTUALS OF COLOR IN COLONIAL AMERICA: POLITICAL FRIENDSHIP AMONG THE UNREPRESENTED .........68 Embracing Ethnicity: Samson Occom and Joseph Johnson ................68 Crossing Races: Samson Occom and Phillis Wheatley .......................86 IV. RELIGIOUS UNDERSIRABLES CROSS THE ATLANTIC ...............102 Laying the Groundwork for Revolution: Presbyterian Dissenters Francis Hutcheson and Francis Alison .....102 Inciting Change: The Catholic Carrolls, Charles of Annapolis and Charles of Carrollton........................................................................118 Fighting for Citizenship: The Jewish Sheftalls, Mordecai and Levi ...........................................................................139 iii V. NOT SIMPLY A MALE REBELLION .......................................................146 The Radicals: Abigail Smith Adams and Mercy Otis Warren ..........146 The Moderates: Quaker Women: Milcah Martha Moore, Susanna Wright, and Hannah Griffitts .........................................................163 Conservative Voices: Patriot Ladies Defending Their Loyalist Sisters-in-War ..............178 VI. REPUBLICAN MARRIAGE: UNIONS BETWEEN POLITICAL FRIENDS ..................................................................................................182 Wives and Mothers in the New Republic ..........................................182 Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt and William Wirt .....................184 Martha Laurens Ramsay and Dr. David Ramsay...............................191 VII. POLITICAL PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN MARRIAGE ............................199 Abigail and John Adams ....................................................................199 Dolley and James Madison ................................................................204 VIII. CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................210 Some Alliances Appear to be Political Friendship, however ...........211 George Washington and Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette ..........................................................212 Thomas Jefferson, Andrzej Tadeusz Bonventura Kosciuszko, and Agrippa Hull ....................................................................................213 Process and Outcome .........................................................................215 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................220 iv LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Possible Categories of Eighteenth Century American Friendships ......................4 Table 2. Cross-Category Character of Political Friendship ................................................4 v LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map of New England, New York, parts of Canada and Pennsylvania..............45 Figure 2. Sir William Johnson. .........................................................................................47 Figure 3. Artistic Rendition of Molly Brant.. ...................................................................47 Figure 4. Gravesite of Sir William Johnson at St. John‘s Episcopal Church, Johnstown, New York .......................................................................................................48 Figure 5. Joseph Brant by George Romney,1776. ............................................................63 Figure 6. Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) c. 1780 .............................................................63 Figure 7. Samson Occom, 1802 engraving. ......................................................................88 Figure 8. Phillis Wheatley.................................................................................................88 Figure 9. Francis Hutcheson. ..........................................................................................102 Figure 10. Francis Alison. ...............................................................................................102 Figure 11. Charles Carroll of Annapolis. ........................................................................134 Figure 12. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, U. S. Capitol Building ...................................134 Figure 13. Carroll House in Annapolis, Maryland .........................................................135 Figure 14. Charles Carroll of Carrollton by Michael Laty, 1846. ..................................135 Figure 15. Abigail Smith Adams. ...................................................................................152 Figure 16. Mercy Otis Warren. .......................................................................................152 Figure 17. Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt. .............................................................184 Figure 18. William Wirt. .................................................................................................184 Figure 19. Martha Laurens at age 17. .............................................................................191 Figure 20. David Ramsay, M.D. .....................................................................................191 vi Figure 21. James Madison by Gilbert Stuart ...................................................................205 Figures 22. Dolley Madison by Gilbert Stuart ................................................................205 vii A NOTE ON THE TRANSCRIPTION OF PRIMARY DOCUMENTS In this manuscript quotations from primary documents have been kept in their original form and appear in italic. In maintaining what appears as idiosyncratic capitalization the intent is to illustrate stressed wording. Spelling is retained as written as it relays accents which enhance time, place,