Dr. Theodore J. Davis Jr. is a professor in the Department of Political Science & International Relations at the University of Delaware.
I recently read an Opinion advocating state funding to erect a statue to honor Delaware’s John Dickinson and his legacy ("Delaware patriot Dickinson worthy of statue"). While I have no qualms with the idea, I was taken aback by the use of a racialized dog whistle to make the case. The contribution and merits of John Dickinson, the man, are sufficient enough that there was no need to make a subtle racial comparison to gather support for the idea of a statue honoring him.
Who was John Dickinson and why should he be honored with a statue? John Dickinson was a Founding Father, who often found himself on the wrong side of history in the moment, yet his contributions to U.S. and Delaware history were so right.
John Dickinson’s name rarely comes up when talking about the Founding Fathers. Yet he played a significant role in the nation’s formation, including the debates over declaring independence from Great Britain and the drafting of both Constitutions.
Dickinson is among the Delawareans historically linked to the Declaration of Independence. Because of his political writings, he was called the “Penman of the Revolution.” Delaware’s better-known Founding Fathers are Thomas McKean, George Read and Caesar Rodney, who voted to approve the document. John Dickinson, on the other hand, is known for refusing to sign the document, and history often downplays his contributions to the nation’s founding.
It wasn’t because John Dickinson was unpatriotic or a supporter of the British crown that he did not sign the Declaration of Independence. He didn’t sign the document because of what I consider his “pragmatic reasoning.” He refused to sign the document because he felt the Colonial militias were not equipped to engage in battle against what was, at the time, the world’s greatest military power.
Further, Dickinson’s objection to the document stemmed from his belief that declaring independence in 1776 was a bit “premature” for two reasons. First, he felt there was a lack of unity among the Colonies. He worried that this lack of unity could eventually lead to a civil war after the British left. Second, he felt that the Colonies needed foreign allies, and they had none.
His role as a Founding Father did not end with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He is also known for helping to draft the Articles of Confederation (the nation’s first short-lived constitution). In addition, he played a significant role in drafting the Constitution of 1787.
John Dickinson was born in Talbot County, Maryland. When he was young, his family relocated to Delaware, where he spent his formative years. As a young lawyer, Dickinson understood that, if he were to prosper in law and politics, he had to move to Philadelphia. Despite his travels, his home along the St. Jones River in Kent County was his homebase and refuge. The plantation house is still there today and is open to the public for tours. Later this year, a new Visitors Center will open on the site.
Because Dickinson held property in Delaware and Pennsylvania, he was able to pursue a long and illustrious political career in both states. John Dickinson was incredibly unique because he served as the governor of Delaware and Pennsylvania at different times. In addition, he represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress.
Nevertheless, Dickinson’s story is filled with contradictions. Dickinson, like most prominent landowning men of his time, was an enslaver. Though he spoke against the immorality of slavery as an institution, he kept enslaved Africans and a few indentured servants on his plantation in Dover. By the time of his death, he had gradually freed all his slaves.
The irony here is that, throughout his writings and actions, Dickinson consistently fought for human rights. He was known for supporting religious freedom, seeking peaceful relations with Native Americans and pressing for Delaware to legislatively end slavery. In fact, at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Dickinson was one of the few delegates who verbally objected to the slave trade on moral grounds. Yet he embraced slavery for political and economic reasons.
Dickinson also believed that the rights White males enjoyed in America did not come from the king nor Parliament. Rather, these rights bestowed on White men came from a higher power. This belief would become one of the key justifications for independence from the British crown.
Well, in closing, John Dickinson’s role as a Founding Father and his unique patriotism as a man make him worthy of the state honoring him with a statue, but we do not need to use racialized “dog whistles” to make the case.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
