FIFTH GENERATION 67 
     
    
   
   
    
     motto was ‘ to do right, and let consequences take care of themselves.’ ” He was 
     
     on the bench of the Supreme Court of the State, when the General Assembly 
     
     enacted the celebrated “ Paper Money Laws ” of 1786, and was one of the paper— 
     
     money party. But when the question of the constitutionality of these laws came 
     
     before the court for decision, in the case of Trevett w. Weeden, in which cause 
     
     General Varnum made his great and eloquent efi‘brt, this Court stood firm in de— 
     
     fence of the cause of law in their country, and declared the Paper—Money Tender 
     
     Laws unconstitutional and void. Their fiery partisans in the General Assembly 
     
     ordered the Court to be arraigned before them for a contempt of leg1slat1ve power, 
     
     and they were required to give their respective reasons for overthrowing the laws 
     
     of the Legislature that had created them. This novel procedure in judicial history, 
     
     Judge Hazard met with firmness; and when called on, unmoved, rose and said: 
     
     “It gives me pain, that the conduct of the Court seems to have met with the 
     
     displeasure of the Administration; but their obligations were of too sacred a na— 
     
     ture for them to aim at pleasing, but in the line of their duty. It is well known 
     
     that my sentiments have fully accorded with the general system of the Legislature 
     
     in emitting the paper—money currency. But I never did, and never will depart 
     
     from the character of an honest man, to support any measures however agreeable 
     
     in themselves. If there could have been any prepossession in my mind, it must 
     
     have been in favor of the act of the General Assembly, but it is not possible to 
     
     resist the force of conviction. The opinion I gave on the trial was dictated by 
     
     energy of truth. Ithought it right. I still think so. But be it as it may, we 
     
     derived our understanding from God, and to him alone are we accountable for our 
     
     judgment.” “ This,” adds Updike, “was an instance where the heroic firmness of 
     
     a few men saved the reputation ofa State.”’ 
     
    

    
     Joseph Hazard married, September 28, 1760, Hannah, daughter of Deputy- 
     
     Governor Jonathan Nichols. 
     
    
   
   
    
     CHILDREN. 
     
    

    
     533. ROBERT HAZARD, born Jan. 31, 1762 ; died Aug. 12, 1851 ; married Aliza, daughter of Peltg 
     
     Ant/2071}. He was called “ Geld-Break Robert.” 
     
    

    
     534. MARY HAZARD, born May 29, 1764.; died April 15, 1833. 
     
    

    
     535. LUCY HAZARD, born July 6,1766; died Sept. 23, 1804.,married, Dec. 25, 1801, Teddiman 
     
     Hit/1. 
     
    

    
     536. RUTH HAZARD, born Feb. 4, 1769; died June 27, 1852. 
     
    

    
     537. JOSHUA HAZARD, born Oct 7, 1771 ; died Nov. 12, 1823; married, Elizahtb Niler. 
     
    

    
     538. STANTON HAZARD, born Feb. 3, 1774.; lost at sea, I798. 
     
    

    
     539. EVAN MALBONE HAZARD, born March 6, 1776; died at sea, 1805. 
     
    

    
     54.0. HANNAH HAZARD, born Aug. 10, 1778; died Aug. 26, 1827,- married Dr. Stephen Gri (37!. 
     
    
   
   
    
     §264. ESTHER HAZARD, 5 (Governor Robert, 4 , Stephen, 3 , Robert, 2; 
     
     Thomas, I), was born December 7, 1732; she died March 25,1831 , she married, 
     
     1758, Captain Jonathan Babcock. He was son of James Babcock, of Westerly, 
     
     Rhode Island, and was born October 11,1736. He graduated from Yale Col— 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     1 Updike, Hist. of Narragansett Church, p. 250. 
     
    
   
   
    
     lege