CHIEF JUSTICE MELVILLE W. FULLER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 02/25/1889 - HFSID 327889

MELVILLE W. FULLER
Handwritten, signed letter of the conservative Chief Justice on his vacation in Cambridge. Dated in 1889.
Autograph letter signed: "Melville W. Fuller", in black ink, 1 page, 5x8. No place, February 25, 1889. To "Dear Putnam" in part: "Your letter received with pleasure. Mrs. Fuller & my grandfather found exactly like him in the days I knew him best. I journeyed near [illegible] in Cambridge, for a time that I think pacified his desire for a fun day...", . Appointed by President Cleveland, Fuller served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1888 until his death in 1910. Fuller's appointment was something of a surprise, even though he was a prominent judge, and it evoked some opposition from Senate Republicans. While their primary motive may have been to delay the appointment until after the Presidential election, they cited Fuller's record during the Civil War, when he had denounced Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation as unconstitutional.) Fuller was confirmed, however, by a 41-20 vote on July 10, 1888. A staunch economic conservative, Fuller wrote Court Opinions narrowing the scope of anti-trust legislation and deeming any direct tax on income unconstitutional (Pollock v. Farmers' Loan and Trust). He was part of the 8-1 "separate but equal" majority sanctioning racial segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). Toned. Creased. Pencil notes (unknown hand) on verso. Fine condition.