SECRETARY OF WAR TAFT APPOINTS A WEST POINT CADET

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930).  Taft was the Twenty-Seventh President, serving from 1909 to 1913, and Supreme Court Chief Justice, from 1921 to 1930. 

DS. 1pg. 8” x 10”. March 11, 1908. Washington.  A West Point appointment signed “Wm. H. Taft” as Secretary of War.  Taft appointed Pearl Lee Thomas a cadet.  The vellum document has a couple of folds and wrinkling, but is in very good condition with a relatively dark autograph.

LETTER SIGNED BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SHORTLY AFTER THE END OF HIS PRESIDENCY

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft served as President of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the 10^th Chief Justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930.

TLS. 1 pg. 8” x 10”. May 17, 1913. New Haven. Conn. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” as former President to “Hon. Lewis Nixon”: “I have your note of May 5^th, and thank you very much for your courtesy in sending me a copy of Mr. Olney’s address, together with a copy of your reply. I shall red them both with much interest” This letter was written just two months after Taft was defeated in the 1912 presidential election thanks to a split with his former mentor and friend, former President Theodore Roosevelt. After his presidency, Taft became Kent Professor of Law and Legal History at Yale Law School, reflected in the stationery used for this letter. This letter is a follow-up to an April letter (also for sale). That letter mentioned the “Arbitration of pecuniary claims (inter-American) (1910),” which Lewis Nixon signed as a representative of the government of the United States sent by Taft during his presidency. Nixon (1861-1940) was a well-respected naval architect, building executive, and Democratic political activist. This treaty agreed to arbitration when it came to economic claims between the 20 nations, all within the Western Hemisphere. Both letters reference Richard Olney (1835-1917), who served as Secretary of State and Attorney General under President Grover Cleveland. Olney extended interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine to give America a greater role in Latin American affairs, with this treaty a good example of such a policy. Taft remained at Yale until his lifelong ambition to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court was finally fulfilled in 1921. This letter is in good condition with trimmed margins.

LETTER SIGNED BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SHORTLY AFTER THE END OF HIS PRESIDENCY

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft served as President of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the Chief Justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930.

TLS. 1 pg. 8” x 10”. April 29. 1913. New Haven. Conn. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” to “Hon. Lewis Nixon”: “I thank you for sending me your brochure on the subject of the meaning of the Treaty. I shall read it with a great deal of pleasure. I shall be glad also to read Mr. Olney’s paper. If you have a copy, could you send it to me?” This letter was written just six weeks after the end of the presidency of William Howard Taft.  Taft was defeated in the 1912 presidential election thanks to a split with his former mentor and friend, former President Theodore Roosevelt. After his presidency, Taft became Kent Professor of Law and Legal History at Yale Law School, reflected in the stationery used for this letter. The treaty mentioned in the letter is almost definitely the “Arbitration of pecuniary claims (inter-American) (1910),” which Lewis Nixon signed as a representative of the government of the United States sent by Taft during his presidency. Nixon (1861-1940) was a well-respected naval architect, building executive, and Democratic political activist. This treaty agreed to arbitration when it came to economic claims between the 20 nations, all within the Western Hemisphere. The letter also references Richard Olney (1835-1917), who served as Secretary of State and Attorney General under President Grover Cleveland. Olney extended interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine to give America a greater role in Latin American affairs, with this treaty a good example of such a policy. Taft remained at Yale until his lifelong ambition to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court was finally fulfilled in 1921. The letter is in very good condition with toning and wrinkling, and includes some biographical information on Taft written at the bottom in another hand, most likely that of a previous owner.

TAFT, THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE TO ENFORCE PEACE, INVITES A MEMBER TO JOIN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: “THE LEAGUE'S PLATFORM, AND TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR SECURING ACTION BY OUR NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES LOOKING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROPOSED LEAGUE OF NATIONS”

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Twenty-Seventh President of the United States and tenth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

TLS. 2pgs. January 17, 1916. No place.  A lengthy typed letter signed “Wm. H. Taft” on “League to Enforce Peace” letterhead; Taft was the President of the organization.  He wrote to James Beck of New York City: “The absolute necessity, revealed by the European War, for establishing a new, better and more permanent basis for future international relations leads the officers and the Executive Committee of the League to Enforce Peace to feel under obligation to do their utmost to fulfill the trust reposed in them by the conference held last June in Independence Hall, when it instructed them to take all proper means to carry into effect the resolutions they are adopted. The reception, both in this and in other countries, other proposals put forth at that time has been such as to encourage the friends of the League, and to point, as the next step in this establishment, to the completion of our National and State organizations. The object sought in so doing or to acquaint still further the people of the country with the League's platform, and to lay the foundation for securing action by our national authorities and their representatives looking to the establishment of the proposed League of Nations in an International Conference. As president of the League, I take great pleasure in asking you to serve as a member of a General Committee of 250 members, (of which a national officers and executive committees are also members ex officio). Among the duties of this committee, as indicated in the enclosed printed plan of the organization, is that of selecting annually the national executive committee of the League. It is also charged with molding the general policy of the League in its larger aspects. Incidentally, the eminence of the gentleman who composed the Committee will contribute to the standing and the influence of the League. As a member of the League, I assume that you are already fully acquainted with its principles and aims. Thanking you for giving consideration to the requests which the executive committee joins me in making I remain very truly yours…”.  The League to Enforce Peace, viewing warily the Great War raging in Europe, was founded in 1915 at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall; Taft was elected President.  The organization hoped to create a world court, a league of nations and other tasks.  The League dissolved by 1923.  The letter has two mailing folds and is in very fine condition.

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT THANKS A FRIEND FOR HIS WORDS OF “VINDICATION” AFTER THE CONTROVERISAL 1912 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was President of the United States, as well as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court later in his career.

TLS. 1pg. June 24, 1912. The White House, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm. H. Taft” as President on “The White House” letterhead.  Taft thanks Charles Sumner Hawkins for his words of support following the 1912 Republican National Convention, in which Taft controversially won the party’s nomination over Theodore Roosevelt; TR then formed his Progressive Party and ran against Taft.  Taft lost the 1912 Presidential Election to Woodrow Wilson: “My dear Mr. Hawkins: I thank you for the kindly words of your letter of June 22d. The vindication that I have received is very gratifying. Sincerely yours, Wm. H. Taft”.  The letter has a central mailing fold and light soiling and is in very good condition.