Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1851-10-16
SIGAERS OF THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE.
THOMAS HAYWARD, iR.

Thomas Hayward was born in St. Luke's
parish South Carolina. In the year I746.-
Ills father, Colonel Dame Hayward was one
/ "I the "ealihiest planters in the Province,
and liy appTeciating the ADVANTAGES Of edu-
cation. ne placed his son Thomas IN the hest
classical school IN that region. He was
thoughtful and industrious student; and So
readily did he master the Latin, that he read
with Haency the works of' the Roman histori
ans and poets, in that language.
As soon as young Hayward had completed
bis preparatory studies, he entered as stu
dent, Inc iaw Office of Sir. Parson. barrister
81 considerable emInence in South Carolina.
a. tiiat time. Having accomplished his task
well, ms father sent HIN to England at the age
q about twenty years, 10 finish his lepal edu
Gallon there. He entered one of the Inns of
count al the Temple, and there he prosecuted
MS studies with as much zeal as if poyertv
llad oeen his inheritance, and the bread Of his
taluFe existence depended upon his personal
eNeftien when he should enter the profession.
his zeal brought him invaluable treasures in
Tue lofth u ~eli-stored mind, and he left that
intei.e .ectual retreat, polished LAWYER.
" hiie IN England, SIR. Hayward, became
deeply Impressed with the Injustice OF the
prevailing feeling there, that a e3t1f7l F,ritisb
SUBJECT was quite inferior land should be
treated as suchl 70 the .ative born English
man. >uen was the sentiment ofsociety. and
epen THIS sentiment, the government seemed
II 'cL 0j appointing to Office IN the colonies
lew bat natives Of tine British Islands: and in
lis carei-ssness Of the rights and privileges
81 tie coloHists, as If they We're not equally
protected by the broad eIs of the British
Constitution. These thiugs, even at that ear
IS age, eieaated his affection from the mother
county, aad hs returned TO his native land
"llh neraAed feelings. and d heartfelt desire
- iiae IL i1om The bondage of transatlantic
rule.
ietorc returning 10 America, Mr. HAYWARD
visited several Of the states of Europe. and
instead cf being dazzied BY the pomp and
trappIngs "a royalty and us minions, he look
i 90 upon them all a lhe costly and blood
ssaIhed ifl-it Of wrong and oppression; and
+ he sa" IN the toilIng, down-trodden millions
i oi tile producers. such contrast to the happy
iabcrers o: his own dear land, that he felt an
affection for hls country oftue tenderest nature,
and tbs patriotism took deep root, even while
+ he stood before the throne IF royal rulers.
Soon ate. his return, Sir. Harvard entered
upon the practice Of his profession. He mar
1 ried a most anIable and accomplished young
+ lady. named Mathews and with sedateness
and energy OF purpose, rare at his are, he
+ commenced his career OF usefulness He
f was among the ea lie z In South Carolina who
resisted the oppressive measures of the Home
Government, and trom the passage of the
stamp Ac:, until the battle of Lexington. he
+ consistently and zealousiy promoted the pa
iriat cause, even rePudl1tug the degrading
terms of c3nciiiatiou-a5solute submission
winch the British Government demanded.
/ i aa oasaaess and manly traakness with
which he eaPoused the patriot cause, made
hIm "A leader IN the evolutionary movements
in that Province, and he was placed in the
General Assembly, HIT organized after the
a5dIcat!oR of the c1lcni4i gove-no-. lie was
also appointed a member If the first = Com
nttee if Safety" there.
IN l715. Mr.. Hayward was chosen a dele
gate ID tie General Congress- He az first
modestly declined the hcaor, but being waited
upon personally BY deputation Of the peo-
pie, he complied, and took his seat early in
I7s6- lie warmly supported Mr. Lees mo-
toa for absoution fru,r British rule, when
brought toward IN June of that year, and he
jayfui.y voted Tor aud signed ,he Declaration
It independence. lie remained in Congress
until l778. when he accepted the appointment
Of Judge Of the crimnI3 and civil courts Of
South "a uiina. This acceptance and his
previous offence IN signing the Declaration,
made him very obnoxious 10 the enemy, and
great ef3r,S were made through the treacher-
Gus tories, 20 get possession Of his person.
sir. Hayward held military commission
while he was Judge. and he was in active
service. with Edward Rutledge, in the skir-
a,i-. with the enemy a. Beaufort, in 1850
81 that skirmish he racei.fd gun-shot wound,
which SCARED him for life. When, soon af-
ter. Charleston was captured bv Sir Henry
Clinton and Admiral Ar1urthrot, Mr.. IIay-
ward was taken prisoner, and il was generally
believed that he would be excluded from the
terms Of capituiation, as an arch traitor This,
however, was not th4 case, and he was sent
with Nr. Rutedge and others, TO St. Angus
tine, IN Florida, where he remained nearly a
year.
On his return to South Carolina, Judge
Hayward resumed his seat upon the bench,
and was actively engaged in his judicial du-
ties until I195. He was a member Of The
convention Of his state, which framed its con-
.stitution, in 100. Having again married an
amiabe lady, by the name of Savage, he COW
eted retirement and happiness of domestic
life from which he had been so long an exile,
aud in 1899, he Withdrew entirely from pub
lie l:fe. and in the bosom of his family he
bore the honor, which a nation's graft Ides
conferred, and there calmly awaited the sum-
mons for another world. His death took place
IN March, 1909, when he was sixty three years
Of age.