Lot 151

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Description:

Declaration-Signer and U.S. Flag Designer Francis Hopkinson Orders the Seizure of a Ship in Philadelphia as Judge of Admiralty Court

FRANCIS HOPKINSON, Document Signed, to Clement Biddle, Writ of Attachment to seize the ship Atrolia, June 30, 1784, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Includes embossed Seal of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania. Includes two signed endorsements by Biddle. 2 pp., 11.875ʺ x 7.375ʺ. Expected folds; some small holes on one fold; very good.

In this writ of attachment Judge Francis Hopkinson of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania orders Marshal Clement Biddle to seize the ship Atrolia, then at the Philadelphia docks, and hold it pending the outcome of a suit by several sailors for unpaid wages. Biddle seized the ship and its equipment and held it to await further orders from the court.

In 1792, Hopkinson published forty-nine of his decisions from the Admiralty Court in the third volume of his Miscellaneous Essays and Occasional Writings. Although this case was not among those published, approximately one quarter of those Hopkinson included involved seamen who were suing for their wages. Hopkinson generally sided with aggrieved sailors, and in Patrick Mahoon et al. v. the Brig Glocester, Hopkinson held that “Mariners are generally engaged on shore, and always sue for their wages in this court. In the one case the mariners are paid monthly wages, or by the run, in the other by a share of the booty taken. There is the same reason in both cases. But I am of opinion that the articles are not the true foundation of a seaman’s claim. If one or more mariners should enter on board a vessel, with the knowledge and consent of the master, should receive his orders and perform the duties of the station, they would be entitled to customary wages, or a proportion of the booty taken in common with the rest of the crew, although they had signed no articles at all, the right is not founded in the articles, but in the service.”

After Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, admiralty jurisdiction transferred to federal district courts rather than state courts.

Complete Transcript:
Port of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Ss
Francis Hopkinson, Esquire, Judge of the Court of Admiralty of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania To Clement Biddle Esquire, Marshal of the said Court Greeting
You are hereby Commanded on Sight hereof immediately to seize and attach the ship Atrolia, whereof Philip Shankey is Master now lying in this Port and within the Jurisdiction of this Court and her Tackle Apparel and Furniture and the same safely keep to abide the final Order and Decree of this Court in a Cause Civil and Maritime here prosecuted against the said ship her Tackle Apparel and Furniture by Matteo Frederico, Dominico Baldinico, Angel Dorio, Joseph Giggis, Joseph Turgato, Antonio Mateo & Peter Flusha, Seamen for Wages And you are hereby further Commanded to admonish and Cite all Persons therein interested that they be and appear before Me at a Court of Admiralty to be held at my Chambers in this City of Philadelphia the First Day of July next at Nine oClock in the forenoon of the same Day to make their Objections, if any they have, why a final Decree should not be pronounced in the Cause aforesaid agreeable to the Prayer of the said Matteo Frederico, Dominico Baldinico, Angel Dorio, Joseph Giggis, Joseph Turgato Antonio Mateo & Peter Flusha in their Bill filed in the Cause aforesaid in this Court, And have you there then this Writ
Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Court aforesaid at Philadelphia the Thirtyeth Day of June in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty four.
                                            Fras Hopkinson
[Verso:]
[Endorsement:] I authorize & appoint Mr John Whitehead to serve this writ
                                            Clement Biddle / Marshal

[Endorsement:] To the Honorable Francis Hopkinson Esqr Judge of the Court of Admiralty of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Agreeable to the directions of the within writ I have seized & attached the Ship Atrolia her Tackel apparel & Furniture & have her in my Custody to abide the further Orders of the Honorable Court. Also have Cited all persons interested that they may appear as herein directed
So answers
Clement Biddle / Marshal

Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791) was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the College of Philadelphia (now University of Pennsylvania) in 1757 with a bachelor’s degree and in 1760 with a master’s degree. In 1759, he became the first American composer of a secular song. He practiced law in Philadelphia from 1761 to 1766. After spending more than a year in England unsuccessfully seeking the office of Commissioner of Customs for North America, Hopkinson returned to Philadelphia, became a merchant, and served as Collector of Customs at New Castle, Delaware. From 1774 to 1776, he served as a member of the New Jersey Provincial Council and represented New Jersey in 1776 in the Second Continental Congress, where he signed the Declaration of Independence. He served in a variety of offices during the Revolutionary War, including member of the Navy Board (1776-1777), Treasurer of the Continental Loan Office (1778-1781), and Judge of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania (1779-1789). As an artist, Hopkinson created designs for Continental paper money, the first United States coin, and two early versions of the American flag, one for the United States and another for the U.S. Navy (both originally with six-pointed stars). He also contributed to the design of the Great Seal of the United States. In addition, he was a member of the Pennsylvania Convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. In 1789, President George Washington appointed Hopkinson as judge of the new United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania, a position Hopkinson held until his death nearly twenty months later.

Clement Biddle (1740-1814) was born in Philadelphia and became a merchant. A member of the Society of Friends, Biddle helped to organize the “Quaker Blues,” a company of volunteers, for service in the Revolutionary War. During the war, Biddle fought in the Battles of Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth. At Valley Forge, he was the Commissary General under General George Washington. Biddle resigned from the Army in 1780 and served as Quartermaster General of Pennsylvania troops in 1781. He served as Marshal of the Admiralty from 1780 to 1789, then as U.S. Marshal for Pennsylvania from 1789 to 1793.

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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