Talk:Carter Braxton

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As a result of the leaders and participants of the American Revolution having become sanctified as the demigod like "Founding Fathers", their faults, foibles and contradictions are overlooked, something that shouldn't be allowed to go too far if we are to function as informed citizens and not credulous serfs.

In that spirit it should be known that Braxton was censured by the Continental Congress in 1780 together with Joseph Cunningham, the captain of a privateering vessel he held an ownership interest in, for the blatantly illegal seizure of a Portuguese merchantman and its cargo, Portugal being a neutral, thus causing an international incident. The motion, after furious protests by the Portuguese captain and his government, was introduced by future Vice President Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts and passed overwhelmingly. It called for, in addition to their censure, that they be apprehended and subjected to "condign punishment." (1906 edition of collected minutes of Continental/Confederation Congresses).

It is believed that Braxton has the largest number of living descendants of any of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, although it should be known that as an individual with deeply rooted Tory sympathies he was one of two members who voted against it in Committee of the Whole. Tom Cod

I didn't know that any educated person sanctified any of the Founders as demigods. Obviously all were human with human faults and foibles. Their contradictions, inadequacies and all-to-human failings makes what they did all the more remarkable. VirginiaProp 13:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)