which became known as Swift's Law School. Among his students were Charles J. McCurdy who became a Connecticut justice and Rufus P. Spalding who was a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio. He was also a member of the Connecticut council of assistants in 1799 and 1801. Swift served as secretary of the French mission in 1800, having been appointed by President Adams, along with Chief-Justice Ellsworth, William Vans Murray and Patrick Henry. The purpose of the mission was to attempt to peacefully resolve the undeclared Quasi War with France which arose in connection with the XYZ Affair. The successful negotiations with Napoleon and Talleyrand resulted in the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine. Arguably, the ability to secure this treaty with Napoleon in 1800 and its resulting good will opened the door to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. President Adams believed this treaty to be one of the most important accomplishments of his Presidency. According to Adams, "I desire no other inscription over my gravestone than 'Here lies John Adams, who took upon himself the responsibility for peace with France in the year 1800.' " He was a judge on the Connecticut Supreme Court (known then as the Supreme Court of Errors) beginning in 1801 and served as the chief justice from 1806 to 1819. Swift was appointed as a delegate to the Hartford Convention from 1814 to 1815, which among other things debated secession in opposition to the War of 1812. When the Connecticut Constitution was adopted in 1818, he lost his position in the Supreme Court and returned to the Legislature. "Zephaniah Swift was a pioneer in development of an American common law distinct from England." During the colonial era, it was common to follow precedents from English courts. "In 1795, Swift wrote the first text on American law, called 'A System of Law,' which stated what in his opinion the common law of Connecticut was, based on what Connecticut judges were actually doing. It was a radical departure from English precedents, and was an appropriate departure too if the 'Revolution' was to have practical meaning." At the time, legal publications were sold by subscription. Swift's prestigious subscriber list to "A System of Law" includes President Washington, Vice President Adams, the Cabinet and half of the U.S. Supreme Court, along with James Madison, John Monroe, Aaron Burr, and other founding fathers (Edmund