Heyward Thomas Declaration Signer Thomas Heyward Superb Signature On Beautiful DocumentSingle page document signed, 12.5" x 7.5". Dated "March 18, 1788" and signed by Thomas Heyward with a large bold signature to the left margin under the seal "Th Heyward". The South Carolina State document is a request to the local Sheriffs to force the appearance of Hugh Swinton in court regarding a debt. Bright near fine condition.Heyward was among the earliest in South Carolina who resisted the oppressive measures of the Home Government, and from the passage of the Stamp Act, to the battle of Lexington, he promoted the patriot cause, ever repudiating the degrading terms of conciliation – absolute submission – which the British Government demanded. The openness and manly frankness, with which he espoused the patriot cause, made him a leader in the revolutionary movements in that province. He was placed in the first General Assembly which organized after the abdication of the colonial governor, and he was appointed a member of the first "Committee of Safety" there.At age 29, he was elected to fill the vacancy of John Rutledge as Delegate to the Second Continental Congress in early 1776, in time to enter upon the lengthy discussion of American independence. He warmly supported Richard Henry Lee's motion for absolution from British rule, and, much to his royalist father's displeasure, Thomas joyfully voted for independence on July 4, and signed the Declaration of Independence along with the other South Carolina delegates on August 2, a few days after his 30th birthday.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.WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!