EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE SALMON P. CHASE SUPREME COURT

SIGN A SINGLE LEAF – DATING BETWEEN JUNE 1865 AND JULY 1867

A remarkable document penned on a single octavo leaf, containing the signatures of eight Justices from the Salmon P. Chase Supreme Court from the period immediately after the end of the Civil War / Lincoln’s assassination. They have added their titles in addition to their signatures.  The signers include:

SALMON P. CHASE (1808-1873),

JAMES M. WAYNE (1790-1867),

SAMUEL NELSON (1792-1873),

ROBERT C. GRIER (1794-1870),

NATHAN CLIFFORD (1803-1881),

NOAH H. SWAYNE (1804-1884),

SAMUEL F. MILLER (1816-1890),

and DAVID DAVIS (1815-1889), who signs on the verso.

 

Changes During Chase’s Tenure

• 1865: John Catron died and was not replaced; his seat was abolished under the Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 .
• 1867: James M. Wayne died; his seat was also abolished .
• 1869: Congress expanded the Court to 9 justices under the Judiciary Act of 1869, creating a new seat .
• 1870: Joseph P. Bradley was appointed to fill the new seat; Robert C. Grier retired and was replaced by William Strong .
• 1872: Samuel Nelson retired and was replaced by Ward Hunt 

This is a remarkable survivor of the period and a testament to the fluidity of the Supreme Court in it’s many transmutations.  Just a wonderful item for the collector of law and the Supreme Court. 

 

$2000.00