Henry Zachariah Hayner was the third chief justice of the Supreme Court of Minnesota Territory. He served from October 6, 1852 to April 5, 1853, when he was replaced by William Welch.
This article describes 1) Hayner's education and law practice, 2) his election to the New York Assembly in 1845, where he was a fervent advocate of the rights of tenants in the Anti-Rent Era, 3) his nomination to the Territorial Supreme Court by President Fillmore in August 1852, 4) his opinions on the territorial Liquor Law, 5) his blistering order granting a new trial in a case first heard by Justice Cooper, 6) his sole opinion for the Supreme Court, which is posted in the Appendix, 7) his removal by President Pierce, 8) his return to private practice in New York City, 8) his long memorandum to President Lincoln regarding events at Northampton, Virginia, 10) his return to civilian life, and 11) his death at age 71.
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