AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED "BNC," FROM ALBANY, 7 JANUARY 1930, TO "MY DEAR CHIEF," COMMENTING ON A DRAFT ADDRESS WRITTEN AND TO BE DELIVERED BY CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
Albany: 1930. Single sheet, folded to [4] pages, written in Cardozo's hand. Last page blank. Very Good.
Benjamin Nathan Cardozo was Chief Judge of New York's highest court from 1927 to 1932, when he became associate justice of the U. S. Supreme Court after President Hoover's nomination. He served until his 1938 death. He was the second Jew [after Brandeis] to serve on the Supreme Court,
Chief Justice William Howard Taft retired from the Court on February 3, 1930, and died a month later at age 72. His severe heart disease, and remarkable obesity, brought him to a premature end. He was succeeded as Chief by Charles Evans Hughes, whom President Hoover nominated on the day of Taft's retirement. Hughes was confirmed on February 13.
Cardozo's Letter reads, in full:
"My dear Chief, | Thank you for sending me a copy of your address which I have read with interest. I see nothing of substance to be criticized. Perhaps on p 3, it might be well to omit the statement that our court "has repeatedly adjourned for lack of business." The public might think there was no different cause for preserving us. You might say, "and does not adjourn until all the cases ready for argument have been heard." On the page before the last, (at the end of the page) you might hold out an olive branch to the Governor by saying that it ought not to be difficult to provide for representation of laymen on the commission if such representation is thought desirable.
"I cannot think of anything else. | Faithfully yours, | BNC." Item #42524
Price: $500.00