ONE YEAR AFTER HIS FAILED “COURT-PACKING SCHEME”, FDR REPLIES TO FORMER FEDERAL JUDGE WILLIAM HUNT’S RECOMMENDATION FOR A NEW SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (1882-1945).  Roosevelt was the Thirty-Second President.

WILLIAM HENRY HUNT (1857-1949).  Hunt was a prominent lawyer and judge. Throughout his career as a Federal judge, Hunt served at various times in the United States District Court in Montana, the United States Court of Customs Appeals, the United States Commerce Court, and the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (San Francisco). He later left judiciary work for private law practice.

TLS. 1pg. October 21, 1938. Hyde Park, NY. A typed letter signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt” as President. It is on seafoam green “The White House” stationery and is addressed to Hunt in San Francisco after the end of his Federal career. It concerns Hunt’s recommendation of Californian lawyer Maurice E. Harrison for a Supreme Court position, though Harrison never received the nomination. This letter was written one year after Roosevelt attempted unsuccessfully to expand the number of justices in the Supreme Court in what would become known as his infamous “Court-Packing Scheme”: “My dear Mr. Hunt: Thank you for your courteous letter of October 11^th, with reference to Mr. Maurice E. Harrison, of San Francisco, whom you endorse for appointment to the United States Supreme Court. I am glad to know of your high opinion of Mr. Harrison’s qualifications, and do want to assure you that your statements on his behalf will; have every consideration when the question of filling the existing vacancy on the Court is taken up. With all good wishes, Very sincerely yours, Franklin D. Roosevelt”. The letter is in fine condition with one fold line.

A SMALL ARCHIVE OF MATERIALS FROM PRESIDENTIAL SISTER-IN-LAW EMILY TYLER CAROW, INCLUDING A THEODORE ROOSEVELT SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH

THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919).  Roosevelt was the Twenty-Sixth President. 

EMILY TYLER CAROW (1865-1939). Carow was the younger sister of First Lady Edith Kermit Roosevelt and thus the sister-in-law of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Archive. 3 pieces. An archive relating to Emily Tyler Carow and her relationship to her Presidential sister and brother-in-law. All three pieces are in very good condition.

1. PS. N.d. N.p. A photograph signed “Theodore Roosevelt” on thick paper stock. Roosevelt is pictured wearing a monocle in this somewhat dark, black-and-white image but the dark signature has great contrast.

2. ALS. 4pgs. December 21, [1903]. The White House, Washington. An autograph letter signed “Emily Tyler Carow”. Writing to a friend, Carow describes sightseeing in Rome and Christmas at the White House. “Dear Miss Tuttle, This is just to wish you a particularly happy Christmas and that 1904 will bring about all your most cherished desires. The little Roman paper weight if it were animate could tell you many tales of love hate and ambition for I picked up the various bits of marbles from all sorts of historical spots the palaces of the Caesars, the Stadium, the Baths of Caracalla, the Villa of Hadrian below Tivoli, the shores of Porto d’Anzio, the ancient atrium where Nero had his villa, & where his baby daughter lived and if I remember rightly died. These last bits of marble were so washed and worn by the sea, that it was not easy to distinguish them from their plebian companion pebbles, and it was only after they had been cut and polished that I could feel quite sure. My two oldest nephews have come home from school for Christmas and the White House is very gay with children’s voices. May you enjoy as happy a Christmas as I expect to with your sister Edith and her children is the wish of Emily Tyler Carow”. There is toning on the second page.

3. A black-and-white photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, two women (most likely Edith and Emily), and a young man (probably one of his sons) outside in front of a palm tree.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, AS PRESIDENT, SIGNS A DRAMATIC PHOTOGRAPH OF HIM ATOP A JUMPING HORSE

THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919).  Roosevelt was the Twenty-Sixth President. 

PS. 9” x 7 ½”. May 2, 1902. No place.  A wonderful black and white photograph signed “with regards of Theodore Roosevelt May 2^nd, 1902” as President.  It is inscribed in the upper right corner.  The theatrical image shows the behatted President atop a jumping horse that is leaping a fence.  The 9” x 7 ½” photograph is matted to an overall size of 13 ½” x 12”.  The signature is light, in part because the surface of the photograph is not conducive to absorbing ink.  Some handwritten letters and numbers are darker than others.  It is difficult to imagine a better TR image.

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.

A WILLIAM TAFT LETTER WRITTEN AS SECRETARY OF WAR

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was the Twenty-Seventh President.

TLS. 1pg. December 28, 1907. War Department, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” as Secretary of War. He wrote to Representative from Ohio Theodore Burton: “My dear Mr. Burton: I have your note of the 27^th instant in respect to Colonel Kingman. I suppose his is one of a number of cases I shall not consider until the President returns which involve the discussion of a matter of broad policy. Very sincerely yours, Wm H Taft”. There have been several Colonel Kingmans. The letter is in good condition. The signature is faint, and there is waterstaining.

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.