John Taylor of Caroline
| John Taylor of Caroline | |
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United States Senator from Virginia |
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In office October 18, 1792 – May 11, 1794 |
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| Preceded by | Richard H. Lee |
| Succeeded by | Henry Tazewell |
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In office June 4, 1803 – December 7, 1803 |
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| Preceded by | Stevens T. Mason |
| Succeeded by | Abraham B. Venable |
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In office December 18, 1822 – August 21, 1824 |
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| Preceded by | James Pleasants |
| Succeeded by | Littleton W. Tazewell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 19, 1753 Caroline County, Colony of Virginia |
| Died | August 21, 1824 (aged 70) Caroline County, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Alma mater | College of William and Mary |
| Profession | Lawyer, planter |
John Taylor (December 19, 1753 – August 21, 1824), usually called John Taylor of Caroline, was a politician and writer. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates (1779–81, 1783–85, 1796–1800) and in the United States Senate (1792–94, 1803, 1822–24). He wrote several books on politics and agriculture. He was a Jeffersonian Democrat and his works provided inspiration to the later states' rights and libertarian movements. Sheldon and Hill (2008) locate Taylor at the intersection of republicanism and classical liberalism. They see his position as a "combination of a concern with Lockean natural rights, freedom, and limited government along with a classical interest in strong citizen participation in rule to prevent concentrated power and wealth, political corruption, and financial manipulation" (p. 224).
"Wealth, like suffrage, must be considerably distributed, to sustain a democratic republic; and hence, whatever draws a considerable proportion of either into a few hands, will destroy it. As power follows wealth, the majority must have wealth or lose power."
John Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia, in 1750, the son of James Taylor and Ann Pollard. She was a sister of Sarah Pollard, wife of Edmund Pendleton, a Founding Father of the State of Virginia who served as president of the Fifth Virginia Convention held between May and July 1776, that declared in favor of independence. Taylor was of the same line as General Zachary Taylor, who became the President of the United States. He graduated from the College of William & Mary in 1770, studied law, and began to practice in Caroline County in 1774. At the onset of the Revolutionary War he joined the Continental army, becoming a colonel of cavalry.
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