[AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED, BY CONNECTICUT FEDERALIST ROGER GRISWOLD TO ANDREW HUNTINGTON IN NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, REPLYING TO HUNTINGTON'S REQUEST FOR PAPER MOULDS AND REPORTING ON EVENTS IN CONGRESS IN JANUARY 1796].

An autograph letter, signed, from U.S. Representative from Connecticut Roger Griswold, to Andrew Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut. Griswold served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1795 to 1805 as an "engaging, skilled speaker and as an energetic, partisan Federalist. The Federalist party was then in the majority in Congress and for another two decades was the effective monopoly party of Connecticut. His firm support of the policies of the George Washington and John Adams administrations and his opposition to those of Thomas Jefferson were the stands of an extreme Federalist" (ANB). Griswold also achieved everlasting notoriety for initiating the first recorded physical brawl on the floor of the House of Representatives, an event memorialized in a popular political cartoon of the day. In his letter of January 23, 1796, Griswold first replies to a request from Huntington for paper manufacturing equipment. Huntington built a mill in Norwich circa 1790, and later had ordered paper moulds from N. & D. Sellers of Philadelphia which were completed in early 1796: "I have received your letter of the 12th inst[ant] and agreeably to your request I have engaged the paper moulds to be made & forwarded as soon as possible." The remainder of the letter reports on recent activity in Congress, which had been very slow. "Nothing very interesting has taken place here, within a few days - no business has been completed in Congress - those subjects which may probably produce altercation have not been touched - they must come forward before the session closes, I will probably derange the good humour we now enjoy." DAB VIII, pp.10-11. ANB 9, p.643. Light fold lines. Paper age-toned. Old paper repair and remnant of wax stamp on integral leaf. Integral leaf cleanly separated from letter along fold. In very good condition.…