The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-06
ZEPHANIAH SWIFT.
JUDGE BALDWIN DESCRIBES
 THE FAMOUS JURIST.

IeIlS OE HIS Long ana valued Service
 --Entered Yale at the Age of Fifteen
 Author of "Swifts Digestv-Was
 Member of COngress-AIso Judge of
 the Supreme Court.
 Judge Simeon E. Baldwin of the su-
 preme court read a paper on Judge
 Zephaniah Swift" at meeting of the
 Connecticut Historical Society at Hart
 ford Monday evening, receiving there
 for vote of thanks from the members
 of the society.
 Zephaniah Swift was described as
 the jurist who was the founder of the
 present judicial system of Connecticut.
 He was born in Massachusetts in 1750,
 but his parents moved later to Leban-
 on in this state where young Swife att
 tended famous school for boys then
 under the direction of Governor Trum-
 bull. He entered Yale college when
 fifteen wears old and had, as class
 mates, Joel Barlow, Noah Webster.
 Alexander Wolcott. who was once
 nominated for associate justice of the
 United States supreme court, Abraham
 Bishop of New Haven and Uriah Ira
 cy all men once noted in the state.
 Upon graduating Swift studied law
 and then opened an office at Mansfield,
 but soon afterward moved to Wind
 ham, then a town of more relative im-
 portance than at present, though it
 had but about four thousand inhabi-
 tants. At that time the relations be-
 tween church and state were weaken
 ing, against the protests of the estab-
 lished church and the efforts of Yale
 college, and Swift was in favor of the
 movement. He was elected member
 of the lower branch of the legislature
 in 17S7 and was one of the representa-
 tives from the town of Windham from
 that time until 179S.
 The young man took a prominent part in a church controversy which
 was raging in Windham where the
 church wished to call Harvard man
 named Oliver Dodge, to whom the re- ltiring pastor was opposed. The latter
 clergyman availed himself of power
 given him by the Saybrook platform
 and dissolved church meeting when
 it became apparent that the members
 would vote to extend call to MT,
 Dodge. Swift denounced this action in
 an article printed in a local paper and
 prolonged controversy followed, in which Swift played an important part.
 He was a born reformer, but erred in
 falling to give his opponents credit for honest motives,
 He was opposed to slavery and once
 made an address on the subject in this city. In November 1792, he was elect
 ed to Congress, being the first man from the northeastern part of the
 state, and took his seat in the Third , congress, where he favored the Jay
 treaty with England and. while in con-
 gress prepared the first work which set forth Connecticut laws in a systemat- ic manner. The work was printed in
 Windham in t795-6 and was published by subscription. At that time Con- necticut paid no attention to English common law, decisions being based upon the Bible and the laws of the lstate, but at this time the lawyers Fwere divided into two factions, one holding to the old order and the other asserting that the common law of Eng . land might be cited. Swift adhered to the old order at first, but later changed his mind upon the matter.
 In his work he wrote that he thought the great danger to the country lay in !: popular disorder tending to anarchy and In the aggression of the larger states, and he thought that the country would be benefited if the old state lines could be obliterated and new states created as nearly equal in pop ulation as possible. He approved of the separation of church and state, ob- . jected to the annual election of judges by the legislature and anticipated the modern plan of naturalization. Ht said that public prosecutors ought mol : to show either fervor or pathos in theli arguments and bitterly criticized Paine's Age of Reason," then a new } book.
 Upon his return to Connecticut Swift ; was sent to the general assembly again {. and was elected its speaker in 179S going back the next year as a mem Der of the upper house. That year 2 2 commission was sent to France to con clude treaty which should stttle va 5 rious disputes between the two repub' ; lies and Swift went as a secretary tho : party sailing for France in 1900. Whil, they were on the way Napoleon wal . made first consul and treaty wal 2 finally concluded which was approved by him and by the American commits s sioners. When the work was done { 1: dinner was rendered to the commis 2 sioners at which Napoleon was present Gold boxes costing about eight thou S sand dollars each had been prepared 2 for the Americans, but before the! were presented Napoleon gave a hand 2 full of old Roman coins and medals tt {: each of the commissioners. At this, 2 is said. Swift consulted with the com missioners, who then told Napoleon $ would not take the medals back, bu 2 the commissioners did not get the golt boxes which had been made for them i Swift went to Holland after his worl :. with the commission had been com pleted, but returned the same year, go 2 islature. The same year he was mad a judge of the superior court which, il ; 1906, became the supreme court whei {: sitting in bane He was annual, 2 elected for thirteen years In May