Eldridge Robert Burt (1 results)

This venerable attorney of early Michigan served as that state's Secretary of State (1842-46) and as state senator (1847-48). ADS, 3pp, 7½" X 12½" and 8" X 10¼", Detroit, MI, 6 May 1843. Very good. Mild age toning and original folds; top sheet (7½" X 10½") affixed to second leaf at two points along top edge with red wax seals. Eldridge heads this at top: "Extract from Chapter Six Part 1st of the Revised Statues of Michigan, Revised 1838 of money of account, and of the interest of money." He then transcribes Section 3 through Section 7 of the statutes -- faithful to the original text (pp. 160-61) but for the occasional misplaced comma -- filling the first leaf recto and verso and continuing slightly onto the second leaf. He concludes, "I do hereby certify the foregoing Sections are correctly copied from the Revised Statutes of the State of Michigan, and that so far they are the copies of the laws of said State on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Michigan," then testifies "In [?} whereof I have herewith Set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of Michigan. Done at the Capitol in the City of Detroit May 6th AD 1843," boldly signing and adding his title below. To left of this attestation is the large circular blind-emboss of the State Seal. Why Eldridge should be transcribing this portion of the state statutes is a complete mystery -- perhaps at the request of state legislators seeking to revise the stated terms or interest rates? -- and by the time of the next major overhaul of the statutes (1857) the text remains largely the same. Quite curious and intriguing.