Statesman; born in New York City, Nov. 27, 1747; graduated at King's College in 1765; practised law successfully in New York, and was made recorder of the city in 1773.
Of this office he was deprived early in 1775, because of his espousal of the patriot cause.
He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775, and was one of the committee appointed to draft a
declaration of independence, but his necessary absence from Congress prevented his signing it. On the organization of the
State of New York under a constitution, he was appointed chancellor, and held that post until 1801.
In 1780 he was again a member of Congress, and was secretary for foreign affairs from 1781 to 1783.
Mr. Livingston was a member of the convention of New York which adopted the national Constitution, and voted for it.
Minister plenipotentiary to
France, from 1801 to 1804, he secured the secession of
Louisiana (q. v.) to the
United States.
He was the coadjutor of
Fulton in per-
fecting the system of steam navigation.
He died in
Clermont, N. Y., Feb. 26, 1813.
See
steamboat, invention of.
