John Collins (Continental Congress)
| John Collins | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Governor of Rhode Island | |
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In office May 3, 1786 – May 5, 1790 |
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| Preceded by | William Greene, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Fenner |
| Delegate to the Continental Congress from Rhode Island | |
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In office 1778–1780 |
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In office 1782–1783 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 8, 1717 Newport, Colony of Rhode Island, British America |
| Died | March 4, 1795 (aged 77) Newport, Rhode Island, U.S. |
John Collins (June 8, 1717 – March 4, 1795), was the third Governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island from 1786 to 1790. He was the last Independent to serve as Governor of Rhode Island until Lincoln Chafee (2011–2015).
Born in Newport in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, he was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Collins. He stood forth as a staunch advocate of the independence of the Thirteen Colonies. An admirer of George Washington, he was selected by the governor of Rhode Island in 1776 to carry a letter to Washington informing him of the condition of the colony and soliciting counsel upon the best method to adopt for its defense. Later (1782) he was made bearer to the President of Congress of a statement of Rhode Island's reasons for rejecting the Impost Act. During the American Revolution, Rhode Island was for the most part an agricultural area and as such opposed the restrictions of a national government.
In 1778, Collins represented Rhode Island in the Second Continental Congress, where he served until May 1781, when he was superseded by William Ellery. He was, however, re-elected in 1782 and held the position until 1783.
Within the state the agricultural interests vigorously advocated a paper currency. Collins espoused their cause and in 1786 was elected governor. During his term in office the issuance of paper money, which had been ceased at intervals since 1750, was resumed. It was provided by law that should any creditor refuse to accept the bills of the state the debtor might secure a discharge by depositing the amount of his debt with one of the judges of the state superior court or the court of common pleas. This law led to the suit of Trevett vs. Weeden, which resulted in a decision looking toward the right of courts to declare legislative enactments unconstitutional.
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