Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837), American statesman, was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a senator.

Nathaniel Macon was born in Edgecombe (now Warren) County, N.C., on Dec. 17, 1758. In 1774 he entered the College of New Jersey at Princeton and remained until 1776, when he joined the New Jersey militia. He returned to North Carolina late in 1777 to study law but rejoined the army in 1780 after the British invasion of the South. He served in the North Carolina Senate from 1781 to 1786. He joined the Antifederalists in their opposition to the Constitution in 1788. After serving in the North Carolina Legislature in 1790, Macon was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1791. He served until 1815, when he was elected to the Senate, where he remained until 1828.

From 1791 to 1801 Macon vigorously opposed Federalist policies, especially Alexander Hamilton's financial program, Jay's Treaty, the quasi-war with France, and the Alien and Sedition...