Letter from Emory Speer to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): African Americans--Civil rights--Government policy, African Americans--Employment--Law and legislation, Baldwin, Henry, 1780-1844, Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925, Campbell, John Archibald, 1811-1889, Charlton, Walter Glasco, 1851-1917, Circuit courts, District courts, Elections, Judges--Retirement, Judges--Selection and appointment, Marshall, John, 1755-1835, Miller, Samuel Freeman, 1816-1890, Peonage, Presidents--Term of office, Smith, Hoke, 1855-1931, State rights, States' rights (American politics), Story, Joseph, 1779-1845, United States. Supreme Court, Vardaman, James Kimble, 1861-1930
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Judge Speer encloses a list of United States judges who will likely be appointed by Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan. He explains to President Roosevelt the ramifications of having Bryan potentially nominating a large number of justices to federal courts at various levels. The Bryan judges would likely jeopardize peonage laws and the Employers Liability Act, among other things. Democrat-appointed judges would shift jurisprudence to favor states’ rights over federal authority.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-10-26
Creator(s)
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
6
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Emory Speer to Theodore Roosevelt. [October 26, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o59353. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Speer, Emory. Letter from Emory Speer to Theodore Roosevelt. [26 Oct. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o59353.
APA:
Speer, Emory., [1908, October 26]. Letter from Emory Speer to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o59353.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
