By the time he arrived at the Second Continental Congress, Hooper was dead set against British rule. He continued to condemn Britain's hold over the colonies. Interestingly, his father supported the King and was unhappy with his son's political belief in total freedom for Americans. Hooper did not advocate violence, but he could see that compromise with Britain was not possible. Rare ADS, signed “William Hooper Att pe DR,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 12, September 5, 1768. A legal document reporting a ruling of the Salisbury Superior Court in which Hooper accuses a constable of “unlawfully and neglegently” permitting three accused horse thieves in his custody to escape. In part, “The Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King upon their Oath present that whereas Information upon Oath was lodged on the first day of July in the Eighth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third now King of Great Britain and so forth and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and sixty eight with Henry Clark one of his Majestys Justices for the County of Mecklonburgh (sic) assigned to keep the peace in the same County against Jacob Denhard Shadrach Denhard and William Denhard for a certain Felony of Stealing Horses from divers of his Majestys Subjects whereupon the said Henry Clark…directed to One James Walker one of the Constables for the County of Mecklenburgh thereby requiring him to take the Bodies of the said Jacob Denhard Shadrach Denhard and William Denhard and bring them before him…to answer such matters.” In very good condition, with professional repairs to partial fold separations, scattered soiling and dampstaining, rough left edge, and a horizontal fold affecting tops of a few letters in signature. In his 1995 reference History Comes to Life, Kenneth Rendell places Hooper’s autograph material into the “very rare” category among the Signers—an echelon second only to that occupied by the virtually unobtainable Gwinnett and Lynch. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
