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Advocate of Legislature Choosing Chief Executive.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:60.00 USD Estimated At:120.00 - 160.00 USD
Advocate of Legislature Choosing Chief Executive.
Attractive partly printed D.S. by "His Excellency Caleb Strong, Gov. and Commander in Chief of the Commonwealth of Mass.," a much-underrated personage of America's early years. Nov. 21, 1812, 9 x 14 3/4. Large wafer seal. Commissioning William Burns "Ensign of a Co. in the first Regt. of Infantry," 2nd Brigade, 7th Div. of Militia. Docketed by Maj. Oliver Sawyer. A member of the inaugural U.S. Senate, Strong "played an influential role in the development of the Constitution...(and) in passage of (the 11th Amendment) and Judiciary Act of 1789, which established the federal courts...Strong opposed the idea of the Electoral College as a means of electing the president, instead supporting the idea that the legislature should choose him..."--wikipedia. His involvement in a series of court cases established that slavery was incompatible with the Bay State's new constitution. Opposing the War of 1812, Strong's weak defense of Massachusetts' northern border resulted in Maine's successful bid for statehood. Expertly conserved, with vertical center fold backed on verso with linen strip, second fold reinforced with 5" sheer tape, and ends of two horizontal folds infilled with matching paper. Inlaid in cream leaf, hand-ruled border. Fine thus and attractive.