Samuel Huntington Re: Justices of the Peace Incl. Jonathan Trumbull, Declaration Signer and Governor

This signed commission with a bold signature assigns 59 men as Justices of the Peace for Windham County, Connecticut. Those commissioned include:
•Jonathan Trumbull (1756-1843), Congressman from Connecticut (1789-1795), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1791-1793), future governor of Connecticut (1797-1809), and the son of Jonathan Trumbull Sr. (1710-1785), who was governor of Connecticut from 1769 to 1784.
•Zephaniah Swift (1759-1823), Congressman from Connecticut (1793-1797) and State Supreme Court judge (1808-1819), who also wrote the first legal treatise published in America.

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, Partially Printed Document Signed, Commission of Justices of the Peace in Windham County, Connecticut, June 1, 1791, Hartford, Connecticut. 1 p., 12.5" x 15.5". Witness signature by Secretary George Wyllys (1710-1796), who held the office of secretary of the Colony and then State of Connecticut from 1735 to 1795. Expected folds; minor tears on folds; bold signature; paper and wax embossed seal present and intact.

Excerpt
"Know Ye, That we have assigned you, and every of you, jointly and severally, to keep the Peace within the County of Windham with the State aforesaid; and to keep, and cause to be kept, all the Laws and Ordinances that are or shall be made for the good of the Peace, and Conservation of the same, and for the quiet rule and Government of the People within the County aforesaid: And to chastise and punish all Persons offending in the County aforesaid, against the said Laws or Ordinances, or any of them, as according to those Laws and Ordinances shall be fit to be done: And to cause to come before you, or any of you, all those Persons who shall threaten any one in his Person or Estate, to find sufficient Sureties for the Peace and good Behaviour, or in default of their finding Sureties, to commit them to Goal, or safe Custody until they shall do so."

Historical Background
Justices of the peace in Connecticut had jurisdiction over actions not involving the title to land and limited to four pounds ($15) and in suits on bonds to ten pounds ($35). Their judgments could not be appealed to the county court if the amount in dispute was less than forty shillings ($7). In criminal matters, their jurisdiction was limited to a maximum fine of forty shillings ($7).

Samuel Huntington (1731-1796) Born to a large Connecticut farming family, Huntington left home at 22, taught himself enough law to pass the bar, and at 34, was appointed King's attorney for Connecticut. He resigned to join the Revolutionary Cause, and in 1775, represented his state as a delegate to the Continental Congress. Huntington signed the Declaration of Independence, and in 1779, members elected him as the 7th president of the Continental Congress. Under Huntington's presidency (1779-1781), the states ratified the Articles of Confederation as America's first constitution, and the Congress of the Confederation replaced the Continental Congress. Afterwards, Huntington briefly retired from public life, hoping to revive his law practice and fortune. In 1784, voters elected him as Lieutenant Governor, a post that also made him Chief Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court. Elected Governor in 1786, Huntington served until 1796. Although Huntington favored strengthening the powers of the national government and ratifying the Constitution, he also jealously guarded the rights of Connecticut to its western lands based on its colonial charter. During his administration, Connecticut gave up its claim to the northern third of Pennsylvania and most of the Northwest Territory but achieved recognition of its preemptive land rights in the "Western Reserve" (now northeastern Ohio). Connecticut's ability to sell western lands strengthened its fiscal status, and Huntington, while governor, ensured that his state was well-represented at treaty councils with Native Americans of the Ohio territory.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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