Dec. 30, 1798. Isaac Backus commented against Federalist Party foreign policy in opposition to France. Backus was a leading Baptist preacher during the era of the American Revolution who campaigned against state-established churches in New England. Isaac Backus joined John Brown, Nicholas Brown, William Ellery, Stephen Hopkins, James Manning, Ezra Stiles, Samuel Stillman, Morgan Edwards and several others as an original fellow or trustee for the chartering of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (the original name for Brown University), the first Baptist school of higher learning. Backus served as a delegate from Middleborough to the Massachusetts ratifying convention, which ratified the United States Constitution in 1788. He voted in favor of ratification. ABHS has a collection of Isaac Backus’ papers and many volumes by and about him.
