Constitutional law

Letter from William H. Powell to Theodore Roosevelt

William H. Powell commends Theodore Roosevelt’s article in the Outlook, “The Trusts, the People, and the Square Deal.” While he takes a strict constructivist interpretation of the Constitution, Powell believes that changed conditions demand “an advanced and more liberal interpretation.” Powell feels that Roosevelt’s article should be printed in a pamphlet and distributed. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-05

Creator(s)

Powell, William H. (William Hamilton), 1856-1936

Letter from S. W. H. Dodge to Theodore Roosevelt

S. W. H. Dodge congratulates Theodore Roosevelt on his position within the matter and discusses the ongoing legality of the congressional act.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-23

Creator(s)

Dodge, S. W. H.

Letter from Ralph R. Duniway to Theodore Roosevelt

Ralph R. Duniway recently read an article by Theodore Roosevelt on the proposed Arizona Constitution, and reflects upon Roosevelt’s argument that it is a republican constitution like that of Oregon, assuming that Roosevelt is arguing against the allegation that it is a pure democracy, and not a republic, because of the recall of judges. Duniway feels that the ballot initiative, referendum and recall of judges have already pushed the government away from being a representative republic, but concludes that a case presently before the Supreme Court will decide the matter. He sends Roosevelt some documents relevant to the case, as he believes he will be interested.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-18

Creator(s)

Duniway, Ralph R. (Ralph Rolefson), 1869-1920

Letter from Edward Cahill to Theodore Roosevelt

Edward Cahill is writing a critical review of Chief Justice Henry Baldwin’s decision in Hoxie vs. the N. Y., N. H., and H. R. Railway. He requests a brief statement from Theodore Roosevelt on his exact point of criticism of Baldwin’s decision.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-11

Creator(s)

Cahill, Edward, 1843-1922

Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of State Root gives President Roosevelt his impressions of bills in the California legislature relating to the Japanese.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-25

Creator(s)

Root, Elihu, 1845-1937

Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt

Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on the outcomes of several Supreme Court cases. The Court has ruled against the Roosevelt Administration in the employers’ liability cases. Bonaparte provides a summary of the judges’ opinions in the event that he wants to send a special message to Congress urging a passage of the law that the court would deem constitutional based on the case. The Court ruled against the administration in the Williamson case, but on grounds that allow it to be tried again. As expected, the Court overturned the conviction of Major Carrington, who was sentenced in the Philippines to 40 years. Bonaparte asks Roosevelt’s advice on waiting to take action on Christian Schuebel’s nomination as Senator Fulton has requested. Finally, Bonaparte writes that Tracy C. Becker will help with prosecutions in Oregon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-06

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to William Loeb

Senator Lodge asks William Loeb to let Secretary of State Elihu Root know that he would be happy to ride with Root and President Roosevelt on Saturday and Sunday. He is glad to note Root’s “dawning inclination” to “observe the constitution.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-19

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

President Roosevelt’s judicial appointments

An article claims that while some federally-appointed judges maintain a “Rooseveltian contempt for the constitution,” some retain integrity and are willing to hand down unpopular decisions if such decisions are constitutional.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Thomas Goode Jones to Theodore Roosevelt

Judge Jones is disgusted by the enclosed article in the New York Sun attacking President Roosevelt. Jones has remained silent on criticism of Roosevelt in the past to maintain his judicial neutrality, but is willing to defend him publicly in this issue if Roosevelt wishes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-30

Creator(s)

Jones, Thomas Goode, 1844-1914

Letter from Albert J. Beveridge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Beveridge writes to follow up on an earlier conversation with President Roosevelt about the constitutionality of the Child Labor Bill. The jurisprudence is unambiguous in demonstrating that Congress may regulate all matters relating to interstate commerce. Beveridge also notes that many initiatives by the states to solve this issue have been ineffective, citing several examples. He has also seen the popular sentiment stirred up by the long campaign against child labor, and believes this bill is an example of good governance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-22

Creator(s)

Beveridge, Albert J. (Albert Jeremiah), 1862-1927

Letter from Alford Warriner Cooley to Theodore Roosevelt

Alford Warriner Cooley writes to fulfill President Roosevelt’s request for a statement of Cooley’s legal experience for use in his confirmation hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee. Cooley details his educational background, his legal experience in New York, and his work as Civil Service Commissioner and the Commissioner of Immigration at the port of New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-06

Creator(s)

Cooley, Alford Warriner, 1873-1913

Letter from John William Burgess to Theodore Roosevelt

John William Burgess, a professor at Columbia University, writes to President Roosevelt defending a recent speech that the U.S. press indicated has annoyed Roosevelt greatly. Burgess assures Roosevelt that the Germans have correctly interpreted his use of the word “veraltet,” and do not take Burgess’ speech as a shift in the position of the U.S. on the questions he raised related to the Monroe doctrine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-08

Creator(s)

Burgess, John William, 1844-1931

Letter from Milton Dwight Purdy to Theodore Roosevelt

Assistant to the Attorney General, and acting as Attorney General, Milton Dwight Purdy tells President Roosevelt that the decision of Judge Walter Evans was decided before Attorney General William H. Moody could intervene. More similar cases are upcoming in Kentucky and Tennessee that Moody will intervene in. Purdy notes that declaring acts of Congress as unconstitutional is becoming more common.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-07

Creator(s)

Purdy, Milton Dwight, 1866-1937

Letter from William H. Moody to Theodore Roosevelt

Attorney General Moody has read the correspondence with Norman Hapgood and returned it to William Loeb. Moody retains the correspondence with Judge Jones so that he may examine Jones’ views critically, as he feels Jones’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment is wrong. Moody hopes President Roosevelt will not commit in his message to legislation which will ultimately be pronounced unconstitutional. Moody also asks Roosevelt when he feels it will be most appropriate to make a public announcement about Moody’s departure from the Cabinet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-27

Creator(s)

Moody, William H. (William Henry), 1853-1917

Letter from John Marshall Harlan to Theodore Roosevelt

John Marshall Harlan thanks President Roosevelt for a magazine article regarding the constitutionality of a recent New York statute presenting the maximum time for daily labor in a bakery establishment. Harlan, in return refers Roosevelt to an article in the American Law Review, “The Great Usurpation.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-25

Creator(s)

Harlan, John Marshall, 1833-1911

Harvard University Government 19

The document includes ten questions that vary from defining interstate commerce, the constitutionality of various Congressional decisions, and the limits of the Constitution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-13

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Andrew Dickson White to Richard Watson Gilder

Andrew Dickson White discusses the political turmoil in Russia and the problems Russians cause in the United States and abroad. White thinks it wise that Richard Watson Gilder, editor of The Century Magazine, has avoided involvement with Maxim Gorky, and he wishes that Mark Twain and William Dean Howells had done the same.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-18

Creator(s)

White, Andrew Dickson, 1832-1918

Letter from Douglas Robinson to Theodore Roosevelt

Douglas Robinson writes to President Roosevelt to say that his friend Charles A. Gardiner, a lawyer, has researched and written about executive powers based on Constitutional law. Robinson suggests sharing the research with Roosevelt to help Roosevelt bolster his case against the Club of Constitutional Lawyers and to support the Republican campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-06

Creator(s)

Robinson, Douglas, 1855-1918

Letter from Henry Martyn Hoyt to Theodore Roosevelt

Acting Attorney General Hoyt writes to President Roosevelt about the Presidential power to make a temporary designation in the case of the death or disability of the head of a department. Hoyt provides the statutory and case law examples that give Roosevelt the right to make a temporary appointment of unlimited duration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-08

Creator(s)

Hoyt, Henry Martyn, 1857-1910

Letter from Charles Gardiner to Theodore Roosevelt

Charles Gardiner writes to President Roosevelt to say that he has put together a great deal of research on the constitutional law regarding executive powers. He offers this research to Roosevelt to support his campaign and notes that there is a dearth of material on this subject.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-10

Creator(s)

Gardiner, Charles A. (Charles Alexander), 1855- 1909