▁frequently ▁c ited ▁as ▁having ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 9 , ▁but ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁confirmed ▁by ▁a ▁careful ▁per us al ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁J ourn als . ▁ ▁He ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁elected ▁but ▁he ▁certainly ▁did ▁not ▁attend . ▁ ▁In ▁John ston ' s ▁own ▁words , ▁after ▁ 1 7 7 7 ▁he ▁" had ▁nothing ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁public ▁business " ▁during ▁the ▁Revolution ▁except ▁for ▁his ▁later ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁new ▁state ▁Government , ▁John ston ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 4 . ▁ ▁E lection ▁as ▁President ▁North ▁Carolina ▁sent ▁John ston ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 1 . ▁John ston ▁was ▁elected ▁the ▁first ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁Congress ▁Ass emble d ▁under ▁the ▁Articles ▁of ▁Confeder ation , ▁but ▁he ▁decl ined ▁the ▁office , ▁as ▁reported ▁July ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 7 8 1 : ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Rod ney ' s ▁letter ▁to ▁Ca esar ▁Rod ney ▁of ▁Del aware , ▁dated ▁the ▁same ▁day , ▁reported ▁John ston ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁decl ine ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Pres iden cy : ▁ ▁The ▁reasons ▁for ▁John ston ' s ▁ref us al ▁to ▁serve ▁are ▁unclear , ▁but ▁some ▁histor ians ▁claim ▁the ▁letter