RANDOLPH, EDMUND JENNINGS ( 1753 1513). An American statesman, the nephew of Peyton Randolph (q.v.). lie was born in Wil liamsburg, Va.; graduated at William and Mary College; early became prominent as au opponent of the measures of the British Ministry, and, in consequence, was disinherited by his father, .Tohn Randolph, a stanch Loyalist. In August, 1775, he became one of Washington's aides. and in 1776 sat in the Virginia Constitutional Conven tion. He was chosen first Attorney-General under the new State Constitution (1776), sat in the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1782. and was Governor of Virginia from 1786 to 1788. In 1787 he headed the Virginia delegation to the Con stitutional Convention, and took a prominent part in the debates, proposing the celebrated `Virginia plan' and opposing. among other things, the single executive, the Vice-Presidential office, and equality of the States in the' Senate. He refused to sign the instrument as filially drafted, but in the Virginia Convention strongly advocated its ratification. He helped to codify the Virginia laws, and in September, 1789, was appointed by Washington Attorney-General of the United States. On January 2, 1794, he
succeeded Jefferson as Secretary of State, but resigned in August. 1795. primarily on account of an intercepted dispatch of the French Min ister Fauchet, which led to charges being brought against him reflecting on his honor. Most of these charges have in recent years been effectually dis proved. Returning to his home, he became the leader of the Virginia liar, and in 1807 helped defend Aaron Burr against the charge of treason. He wrote a History of Vi,.ginia, which, though never published, has been much used in manu script by other historians. lle also wrote (and published) : A Vindication of Mr. Randolph's Resignation (1795) ; and pamphlets, entitled Democratic Societies (1795) and Political Truth (1796). He was one of the ablest speakers and one of the foremost lawyers of his time. Consult Conway, Omitted Chapters of History Disclosed in the Life and Pupe;.s of Edmund Randolph (New York, 1888).