Road to Liberty: Samuel Chase

Samuel Chase, one of the nation’s first major legal figures, played a key role in the early formation of the American Republic and its legal system.

Born on April 17, 1741, near Princess Anne, Maryland, Chase was the only child of Thomas Chase, an Anglican minister, and Matilda Walker. Educated at home, he studied law in Annapolis and was admitted to the bar in 1761 at age 20. He became known for representing middle-class clients, often pro bono, and quickly built a strong reputation as a lawyer.

At 23, Chase was elected to the Maryland General Assembly, where he served from 1764 to 1784. He became a vocal opponent of British rule, particularly following Parliament’s imposition of the Stamp Act in 1765.  He served in the First and Second Continental Congress, where he joined Franklin and Carroll on a trip to persuade the Canadians to join the American Revolution. The attempt was unsuccessful. 

After the war, Chase continued his legal career and in 1796, President George Washington appointed him a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. A committed Federalist, Chase’s political views on the bench drew criticism, and in 1804, he was impeached by the House of Representatives under the leadership of President Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party.

Chase was charged with eight counts, including refusing to dismiss biased jurors and promoting political opinions from the bench. The Senate acquitted him on all counts, with several senators voting against his impeachment despite party affiliation. The impeachment trial set a precedent on the need for judges to refrain from advancing partisan politics from the bench, and it also further enshrined the independent nature of the judiciary. Chase remained on the Supreme Court until his death on June 19, 1811.