Rufus King (1755-1827), American statesman and an important member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, typified the constructive conservativism of the Federalist party at its best. He served as a U.S. senator and as minister to Great Britain.

Rufus King was born in Scarborough, Maine, the son of a prosperous loyalist merchant whose house was twice ransacked by revolutionary mobs. Nevertheless, during the dramatic events leading to the Revolution, Rufus sympathized with the patriots, although he did not join Gen. George Washington's army. King graduated from Harvard College in 1777 and immediately entered the office of one of New England's most learned and gifted law teachers. He served briefly in the militia but devoted most of his energy to his studies. Admitted to the bar in 1780, he quickly established a large and lucrative practice that he continued intermittently throughout his life.

Emerging Federalist

In 1783 King was elected to the...