Your TR Source
President Roosevelt holds a “Supreme Court decision against trusts” sword as the “trusts” touch Roosevelt in the side with a “my presidential support in 1904” sword.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-03-19
The report outlines the limits of injunctions in a decision handed down by the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. The decision was made in a case between the Iron Molders’ Union of North America and the Allis-Chalmers Company. On the advice of then-Secretary of War William H. Taft, the Union appealed and limits were placed on the injunctions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-16
Attorney General Bonaparte sends President Roosevelt his thoughts on a statement Roosevelt wants to release regarding the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Adair v. United States. Bonaparte recommends changes in two passages, and thinks these changes will be sufficient if Roosevelt would like to release his message this week.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-27
Print shows New York State Supreme Court justice Theodoric R. Westbrook wearing the white robe of Justice and his head mostly bound with cloth. The balance scale of justice sits at his feet, and he hands a crowbar, or “jimmy,” labeled “By Order of the Court,” to a masked man. Another man, in the background, is using a similar bar to pry open doors labeled “Broken, Assets, Stockholders Money, [and] Policy Holders Money.” Next to Westbrook is a container labeled “Court Orders” filled with crowbars. His left hand rests on a piece of paper that states “Supreme Court – Decisions by Everybody’s Friend – Westbrook.” Caption: How the receivers get at the assets of “busted” insurance companies.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1882-05-24
Judge Francis rules in favor of the Little Missouri Land and Stock Company which will retain the property in question, eleven mares.
Dickinson State University
1888-04-26
Theodore Roosevelt appeals to the citizens of Idaho to not allow themselves to be disenfranchised by a recent court ruling. The Republicans are using “trickery and chicanery” against the Progressive Party because they know they cannot succeed in a fair fight. Roosevelt encourages the men and women of Idaho to write in the names of Progressive candidates.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-10-12
Theodore Roosevelt will be pleased to read Governor Burke’s speech but jokes that he has already commented enough on the New York decision.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-01-25
Theodore Roosevelt finds that the Lodge and Root resolutions for the treaties make them meaningless, as they should be. He asks John Callan O’Laughlin to thank James Keeley.
The Root Resolution, passed on March 14, 1912, allowed the President to “use the United States military to prohibit the exportation of arms to any country where conditions of domestic violence exist.” (NYT article – 3/15/1912)
The Lodge Resolution is related to the later Lodge Collorary, ratified in 1912, that made it so corporations or associations from foreign nations could not control land in the Western hemisphere “as to give that government practical power of control for national purposes.” The treaties referred to in the letter are likely the arbitration treaties being discussed between the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
Theodore Roosevelt broadly agrees with Judge Lindsey’s proposed amendment for setting aside court judgments but suggests a few changes. Roosevelt intends to make public his decision not to be a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. However, he will not decline to serve if called upon by the public.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-01-07
Theodore Roosevelt remarks to Charles Dwight Willard how similar his beliefs are to Willard’s article “Who is going to do it?” and hopes to share the article with Samuel Gompers when they lunch. Roosevelt discusses the recent decision by the Supreme Court declaring the Workmen’s Compensation Acts unconstitutional and his desire to remove all those from the bench who voted against it. Roosevelt is pleased by Willard’s comments on his relationships with “plain people” and describes his time on the ranch as his happiest.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-20
Theodore Roosevelt had forgotten about the dispute over the Sac & Fox Nation claim. He is pleased with the court’s decision and fondly recalls Francis E. Leupp’s excellent work under the Roosevelt administration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-09
President Roosevelt sends the United States Department of Justice telegrams regarding the sentencing of labor leaders Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell, and Frank Morrison. He asks for a full report on the case.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-23
President Roosevelt would like to discuss the recent decision by the United States Circuit Court of Appeals of Illinois in person with Attorney General Bonaparte and Frank B. Kellogg. Roosevelt feels that the fine Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis initially imposed on Standard Oil was excessive, but would have preferred to modify the fine rather than reverse the decision. In a postscript, Roosevelt agrees with Bonaparte’s view regarding the Standard Oil Case, and sends a clipping about it. In a second postscript, Roosevelt agrees with Bonaparte that John D. Archbold must have had advance notice of the decision. Roosevelt does not believe the railroads should raise their rates until December.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-25
President Roosevelt assures U.S. Marshal Arthur William Merrifield that he will support Judge William Henry Hunt and U.S. District Attorney Carl L. Rasch, and that he trusts their judgement in regards to the cases that Merrifield mentioned.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-28
President Roosevelt encloses a copy of George W. Alger’s “Moral Overstrain.” He hopes Judge Day will pay special attention to the last two chapters. Roosevelt has been struggling with how much to fight for the labor and working classes in light of recent court decisions. He does not know how to balance respect for the law and rights of legislatures with what he believes are basic rights that workers should be afforded, and is concerned with making sure that he does not diminish respect for the courts. He encloses a telegram he sent to Judge Willard Bartlett of New York last fall regarding Bartlett’s request for support.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-11
President Roosevelt is very pleased with a recent court decision, although he does wonder how the decision will affect his Wall Street critics who accuse him of trying to usurp power for the national government.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-27
President Roosevelt congratulates Attorney General Moody on the recent conviction and indictments that he won. He believes District Attorney Henry L. Stimson’s letter is satisfactory and returns it, promising to write to Senator Thomas Collier Platt on Monday.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-26
President Roosevelt is glad that Silas McBee liked what he said about Judge J. Otis Humphrey and his decision in the beef trust case. Roosevelt feels that Humphrey did “a cruel wrong” in using a technicality to issue a decision in favor of the trusts, instead of ruling on principles and in favor of the population more generally.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-23
President Roosevelt trusts Alice M. Robertson’s recommendation to reappoint J. George Wright as an Inspector.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04-04
The New York Court of Appeals reverses the order of the Appellate Court and affirms that of the Special Term.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-10