January 16, 1799

Stewart, John, 1759-1823

Broadside

Title: Va. Resolutions recommending amendment to bar aliens from Congress

Also asking that aliens be barred from the Judiciary and Executive departments.

GLC03765

17 August 1802

Smith, Thomas, 1745-1809

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jasper Yeates

Discusses the recent arrival of a chief justice who lives near the Schuylkill River (near Philadelphia). Mentions an upcoming jury held for a judgment pertaining to Miss [Prius?]. Discusses possibly moving a trial or meeting to Lancaster, Pennsylvania from Philadelphia. Expresses concern regarding the health of citizens in both Philadelphia and Lancaster. Refers to the possible arrival of Breckinridge, and states "I am afraid our Citizens will be too eager to return from the Country which may produce a relapse, if any of the seeds of the fever yet remain in the City, as I still suspect…

GLC03769.003

February 14, 1820

Tyler, John, 1790-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Spencer Roane

Written by Tyler as Republican Congressman from Virginia to Roane as Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Writes to Roane about issues surrounding the Missouri Compromise debates. Tyler was concerned with Northern arguments that claimed Congress could restrict slavery in the Territories through their Constitutional powers. Says he is worried "about the nature of the power which is attempted to be exercised by Congress[.] you and myself cannot fail to agree in pronouncing it a bold and daring assumption - warranted neither by the constitution or the principles of justice."…

GLC03670

3 December 1838

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Last page of 1838 message to Congress]

"Whatever differences of opinion may exist as to the expediency of vesting such a power in the Judiciary in a system of Government constituted like that of the United States, all must agree that these disparaging discrepancies in the law and in the administration of justice ought not to be permitted to continue; and as Congress along can provide the remedy, the subject is unavoidable presented to your consideration." Note on verso dated 4 December 1838 states this was read and ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate.

GLC03994

21 April 1824

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Letter signed

Title: to Edgar Mason

President Adams sends a copy of a letter from Edmund Gage to Massachusetts congressman Jeremiah Nelson (not included) to District Attorney Mason. Asks Mason to verify the claims in the letter; if they are true "Captain Gage and his vessel may both be released, and the prosecution discontinued."

GLC04004

13 April 1792

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: [Act of Congress altering times for holding circuit courts]

Printed document signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State. Signed in type by Jonathan Trumbull as Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Adams as Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, and approved by George Washington as President. Details an act approved at the first session of the second Congress held at Philadelphia, 27 October 1791, regarding the date that the district circuit courts will hold session. Docket marks the document as duplicate. A penciled note states it is docketed by Samuel Huntington.

GLC03968

1744

Horsmanden, Daniel, 1694-1778

Book

Title: A Journal of the proceedings in the detection of the conspiracy [New York slaves]

Full title: "A Journal of the Proceedings in the Detection of the Conspiracy formed by some White People in conjunction with Negro and other Slaves, for burning the City of New-York in America, and murdering the Inhabitants." Published in New York by James Parker. Howes H652, Sabin 33058. Horsmanden presided over the trial and later served on New York's Supreme Court. Fullest account of the so-called Negro Plot of 1741, based on depositions. Reprinted in 1971 by Beacon (see GLC 4205.02)

GLC04205.01

circa 1867

Autograph album

Title: Autograph album signed by 4 Presidents, members of the Supreme Court, etc.

Signers includes: four men who became president: Andrew Johnson, U.S. Grant (as General), James A. Garfield and Rutherford B. Hayes. Eight justices of the Supreme Court: Justices R. M. Waite (Chief Justice), W. H. Swampe, S. F. Miller, Nathan Clifford, Stephen Field, W. Strange, James P. Bradley and Ward Hunt. Two ministers of China have signed in Chinese with transliteration, and six members of the Embassy have signed. In addition, there are statesmen including: Henry S. Lane, Richard Yates, James Dixon, Jacob D. Cox, Lyman Trumbull, Gideon Welles, Elias S. Spinner, Benjamin F. Wade, Lot…

GLC04224

3 September 1830

Brown, Owen, 1771-1856

Document signed

Title: Almon Kingsbury petition for tavern licence

Petitioning the Court of Common Pleas in Portage County, Ohio for a tavern license. State their opinion that "a tavern is needed at the center of Hudson...that the house lately occupied by Owen Brown Esqr...would constitute a favorable stand for said tavern, and that Almon Kingsbury who now occupies said house is a suitable person to keep said tavern." Signed by Owen Brown and 13 others, including Gideon Mills, Oliver Brown, Heman Humphrey. Title from docket.

GLC04463.06

6 August 1851

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to L. Harper

Written from Buchanan's estate, Wheatland. Discusses a recent trip to a General Bowman's home in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, where he and other guests held "meetings... which were not confined to Democrats." Referring to an upcoming judicial election, expresses his hope in the election of James Campbell, noting Campbell was the first Catholic to hold a state office. Discusses the Presidential election of 1852, seeing the Democrats/Free Soil alliance in Ohio as a bad omen, alienating Southern Democrats. Writes, "No Democrat can be elected President who shall not receive the Democratic…

GLC04508

28 August 1790

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Robert Morris as judge of district court in New Jersey]

Countersigned by Thomas Jefferson. The words "By the President" are written in Jefferson's hand. Endorsed on verso by James Kinsey, stating that Robert Morris appeared on 10 September 1790 and took the oath of office as Judge of the district court of New Jersey. On parchment. Faded with ink decay at top. One black and white seated engraving of Washington included.

GLC04421

1860

Taney, Roger Brooke, 1777-1864

Pamphlet

Title: The Dred Scott Decision

A pamphlet containing Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott case, as well as two articles asserting the inferiority of "the negro race." One is an introduction by Van Evrie stating "the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott decision, has defined the relations, and fixed the status of the subordinate race forever-for that decision is in accord with the natural relations of the races, and therefore can never perish. It is based on historical and existing facts, which are indisputable, and it is a necessary, indeed unavoidable inference, from these facts." The other is an essay by Cartwright entitled "…

GLC04393

1840

Barber, John Warner, 1798-1885

Broadside

Title: A History of the Amistad captives...

title continues: "...Being a circumstantial account of the capture of the Spanish Schooner Amistad, by the Africans on board; their Voyage and Capture near Long Island, New York; with Biographical Sketches of each of the surviving Africans. Also, and account of the Trials had on their case, before the District and Circuit Courts of the United States, for the District of Connecticut, &c." Depicts the death of Captain Ramon Ferrer of the Amistad in July of 1839, on a slave trade route from Havana to Principe. A version of this image serves as an inset fold-out for Barber's pamphlet (refer…

GLC04295

1840

Barber, John Warner, 1798-1885

Pamphlet

Title: A history of the Amistad captives: being a circumstantial account of the capture of the Spanish schooner Amistad, by the Africans on board...

(title continues)... their voyage, and capture near Long Island, New York; with biographical sketches of each of the surviving Africans; also, an account of the trials had on their case, before the district and circuit courts of the United States, for the district of Connecticut. Published by E. L. & J. W. Barber. Compiled by Barber, member of the Connecticut Historical Society. Contains a fold-out wood cut depicting the death of Captain Ramon Ferrer on board the Amistad (refer to GLC04295 for the individual wood-cut). This book was reprinted in 1969 by Arno Press and is also…

GLC04574

December 1848

Gill, Richard W., ?-1852

Printed letter

Title: to unknown

Printed circular letter noting a court case decision, decreeing that an estate tax must still be paid on slaves who are manumitted as part of a last will and testament: "The bequests of freedom to the slaves, are legacies, and the executor liable for the tax or duty on their appraised value." The decision was made by the Maryland Court of Appeals, overturning the decision of a lower court. Also notes "Indeed the law has gone so far as to presume every negro a slave to some one, until the contrary appear." Letter is postmarked 25 December 1848. Docket is hand written with the name. Sent…

GLC04748

1 January 1842

Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Grayson

Recommends a friend, Elias Brown, for the post of clerk of the court for Carroll County, [Maryland]. Informs that the Senate has the Exchequer scheme under consideration. Says that the Clay Whigs (Henry Clay) are against it. Mentions that they are also against President John Tyler and his administration especially Secretary of State Daniel Webster. Comments on the division in Whig ranks, "The division in their ranks can never be healed; and if it could, they can never rise under their present name, nor on the measures they support."

GLC04995

25 April 1863

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter signed

Title: [Message to the Confederate House of Representatives vetoing an act for investigating committees].

Vetoes "an act to aid committees of Congress in the investigation of matters referred to them and to punish false swearing before said committees" passed by the Confederate Congress. Davis believes that conferring upon the Congress the power to fine and imprison those appearing before it without trial would be unconstitional. Such powers are reserved for the judicial branch. The fourth leaf has a purple stamp which has been obliterated, possibly a Rebel War Archive stamp.

GLC04974

1861-1862 ca.

O'Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882

Photograph

Title: Courthouse at Culpeper, Virginia acting as prison with Confederate P.O.W.s on balcony.

Inscription on verso: "Culpepper, Courthouse." Numeric notation on verso: "62."

GLC05111.01.0740

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Fairfax Courthouse

Image of the Courthouse at Fairfax, Virginia. Two men sit next to a well, while several others are mounted on horses. To the periphery of the building several other people are seen. Inscription on verso: "Fairfax Court House." Numeric notation on verso: "39."

GLC05111.01.0911

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Courthouse in Petersburg, Virginia.

A View of the Petersburg, Virginia courthouse, with the Treadway and Johnson Stove warehouse on the right side of the image. A sign on the buidling mentions "tin ware" and wood. Inscription on verso: "Courthouse Petersburg,Va." Numeric Notation on verso: "136."

GLC05111.01.0723

1870s ca.

Peckham, Rufus W., 1838-1909

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Listing of court cases and abstracts]

Notebook listing important court cases and their abstracts, in Peckham's hand. Most of Peckham's papers are believed destroyed. A small group of 800 items is at the Library of Congress. A.K. Wigdor, The Personal Papers of the Supreme Court Justices (NY 1986).

GLC05085.02

1870s ca.

Peckham, Rufus W., 1838-1909

Manuscript

Title: NY and Supreme Court cases

A notebook listing New York and Supreme Court cases for which Peckham wrote the opinion. Most abstraction is written in secretarial hand with four sheets in Peckham's hand.

GLC05085.03

1873

Peckham, Rufus W., 1838-1909

Book signed

Title: The sinking of the steamer Ville Du Havre [scrapbook] with 2 memorial books

An annotated scrapbook concerning the sinking of the steamer Ville du Havre, on which Peckman's father died. With two separate books, "In Memory of Rufus W. Peckham" and "Memoir H.A. and Rufus W. Peckham, Jr."

GLC05085.04

1873

Peckham, Rufus W., 1838-1909

Book signed

Title: The sinking of the steamer Ville Du Havre [scrapbook]

An annotated scrapbook concerning the sinking of the steamer Ville du Havre, on which Peckman's father died. With two separate books, "In Memory of Rufus W. Peckham" and "Memoir H.A. and Rufus W. Peckham, Jr."

GLC05085.04.01

1873

Peckham, Rufus W., 1838-1909

Book signed

Title: In Memory of Rufus W. Peckham

An annotated scrapbook concerning the sinking of the steamer Ville du Havre, on which Peckman's father died. With two separate books, "In Memory of Rufus W. Peckham" and "Memoir H.A. and Rufus W. Peckham, Jr."

GLC05085.04.02