John Jay — The First Chief Justice
History has been written and John Jay came out with the title one of the three pillars of American political greatness. He along with George Washington and Alexander Hamilton hold this distinction. He was one of our great patriots and statesmen. His defining trait was his commitment to the Christian faith. The descriptor of Christian educated all the ideals of his life. He was only twenty-nine when he became a delegate to the Continental Congress. Because of his keen judgement and wisdom, he was tasked with writing the draft for the United States address which requested Great Britain for redress of grievances. His genius was recognized early in his life but never seem to make him egotistical. His faith seemed to be what kept him both humble and grounded while remaining confident and competent in who he was as an individual.
During the Revolutionary War, Jay held the position as Chief Justice of New York. When the war was over, he was given the position as Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the nation. He along with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote the Federalist Papers. These papers explained the principles behind the Constitution. Soon after George Washington became our first President, he appointed John Jay to be the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. While leading the court he worked to strengthen the sovereignty of the United States in the International community and averted war with Great Britain by arranging the treaty of 1794 called the Jay Treaty.
He left the court and became governor of New York in 1795 where he served for six years. He was recognized as a principle-centered leader. He refused to appoint or dismiss people because of their political affiliation. He believed people should be judged on character not party. Jay had a strong devotion to the responsibilities he accepted. This made those around him respect who he was as an individual and leader. As governor John Jay sought to reform criminal law by abolishing the death penalty for anything other than high crimes, fought for fair treatment of prisoners, sought to have slavery abolished, and proposed an act to prevent profanity being used on Sunday. His faith in God was seen as a consistent source of knowledge and strength in his life.
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John Jay retired in 1801 from political public service. He served several terms as president of the American Bible Society in his retirement years. When modern politicians say the Christian faith was not at the center of early American politics they do so out of pure ignorance. Principles of God’s natural laws are at the heart of the Constitution and can be seen in every part of the foundation on which this Republic was formed. Mr. Jay led by the principles he knew to be true and that flowed out of his faith. He would rightly consider today’s form of government decision making a travesty and dangerous to the ideal which gave birth to this nation. Some say the original intent of the Founding Fathers cannot be known. On the contrary, there is so much history saved it cannot be mistaken. We are allowing our leaders to rewrite history and, in doing so, attempt to modify the Constitution in such a way we will not remain a nation of liberty.
Where have all the statesmen gone? They left the capital when the principle of compromise became the rule of political ideology. We no longer walk in the footsteps of greatness but have chosen a path through the mire of unprincipled legal malaise. There are no John Jays left walking the halls of our courts. Our Judicial Branch has gotten drunk with the power that was meant to make them arbiters of our national covenant. Instead, they have become something far less than the founders hoped for. They misrepresent and misinterpret the Constitution to allow for the one thing so many of our founders fought against and that was the compromise that allows the human nature to go unchecked and then the evil which ensues celebrated as true freedom. Their decisions do exactly what we were warned against. They are either derelict in duty, totally ignorant of history, or intentionally contravening the covenant made between the people and the government in an incredible document called the Constitution.
John Jay’s example of a life of service and sacrifice directed by a moral code that comes from the Creator Himself exposes the weakness of today’s unprincipled leaders. It is discouraging for the American patriot to see the spirit of human depravity which roams the halls of Washington. It is frustrating to read what our Founding Fathers said and believed, see the results of a nation which grew both strong and prosperous and now watch as we make a slow disintegration because of unprincipled leadership. People ask why good people do not run for office. It is because they are not supported by other good people and attacked by the heart of evil which is so prevalent in our culture. Maybe some would have the courage to stand and help bring a change if they see patriots stand and say enough is enough. We the people must speak so that we will be heard. The quiet American is coming off our comfort chairs, we are stopping to hope that somehow it will get better, and we are going to demand it get back to what was intended. It is time for us to wake up, stand up, speak up, vote and let our voices be heard loud and clear. John Jay would say it is not only our right, it’s our responsibility!
