US Congressman. He was born one of five children (he also had two sisters and two brothers) to Robert Carter Nicholas Sr. who served as the Treasurer of Virginia and his wife Ann Cary Nicholas in Williamsburg, Virginia, on January 19, 1764. He was educated locally in the common schools and later attended and graduated from the prestigious College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar. Following his education, he opened his practice of law in his native county. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected. A Member of the Democratic-Republican Party (1793 to 1795) and the Anti-Administration Party (1795-1801), he served New York's 15th (some sources say 18th) District and as an At-Large Delegate (Third Congress and the three succeeding Congresses) in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1801. While serving in the United States Congress he took on the Sedition Act (which were four laws passed by the Federalist-dominated 5th United States Congress and signed into law by President John Adams in 1798). He said that it was a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government of its officials. He declared the proposed Sedition Act was unconstitutional and that it was inconsistent with the freedom of speech that was protected by the First Amendment. He said because the press could be punished for publishing true statements if it were not possible to prove the truth of the statements, which is often the case. In 1799, when Republicans in the United States House of Representatives proposed to repeal the Sedition Act, a party-line vote resulted in the rejection of the proposal. He then wrote a minority report describing the policy goal of the Sedition Act as being related to Great Britain's form of government, "The King is hereditary, and according to the theory of their Government, can do no wrong. Public officers are his representatives, and derive some portion of his inviolability." He had distinguished this form of deferential respect for public officers to the level of respect owed to their American counterparts, who serve the people and can be removed from office during elections. After his time in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by United States Representative Philip Rootes Thompson on March 4, 1801. He then moved to Geneva, New York, where he continued with his practice of law and worked in farming and in agricultural pursuits. He also served as a Member of the New York Senate from the Western District from 1806 to 1809, and as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of New York from 1806 to 1819. He then continued with his practice of law and farming and agricultural pursuits until his death. He passed away on December 31, 1819, at the age of 55, in Geneva, New York, and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Geneva, New York. Known by the nickname of"One-Eyed" he was married to Anne Rose Lawson with whom he had four sons and seven daughters (including Robert Carter Nicholas, 1801 to 1854, who was a New York State Senator). His wife Anne passed away on December 18, 1838, at the age of 67 or 68, in Geneva, New York, and she is buried with her husband. Besides, his father Robert Nicholas and his son Robert Carter Nicholas he is also related to many other important politicians in their own right including being the brother of Elizabeth Nicholas (1753 to 1810, who married Edmund Jennings Randolph), George Nicholas and Wilson Cary Nicholas, uncle of Peyton Randolph and Robert Carter Nicholas (1787 to 1857), grandfather of Peter Myndert Dox, granduncle of Edmund Randolph, great-granduncle of Harry Bartow Hawes, second great-granduncle of Francis Beverley Biddle, first cousin once removed of Benjamin Harrison (1726 to 1791), first cousin twice removed of Thomas Marshall and James Keith Marshall, second cousin of Carter Bassett Harrison and William Henry Harrison (1773 to 1841), second cousin once removed of John Scott Harrison, second cousin twice removed of Carter Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison (1833 to 1901), second cousin thrice removed of Connally Findlay Trigg, Russell Benjamin Harrison, Carter Henry Harrison II, Richard Evelyn Byrd and William Welby Beverley (1889 to 1969), second cousin four times removed of Harry Flood Byrd and William Henry Harrison (1896 to 1990), second cousin five times removed of Harry Flood Byrd, Jr., third cousin of Burwell Bassett, third cousin twice removed of Montgomery Blair and Francis Preston Blair, Jr., and third cousin thrice removed of James Lawrence Blair, Francis Preston Blair Lee and Gist Blair.