CHIEF JUSTICE MORRISON R. WAITE - COLLECTION WITH NATHAN CLIFFORD, WILLIAM STRONG, SAMUEL F. MILLER, JOSEPH P. BRADLEY, DAVID D. DAVIS, STEPHEN J. FIELD, WARD HUNT, NOAH H. SWAYNE - HFSID 91035

THE MORRISON R. WAITE COURT
The Supreme Court Justices responsible for interpreting the "Civil War Amendments" to the Constitution
Comprises three 6½x9¼ autograph album sheets, each signed by three justices: (1) Signature(s): "Autograph/Sam F. Miller/Associate Justice Supreme Court/U.S.", "Autograph/David Davis/Asso Jus. SCUS./Washington/April 1876.", "Stephen J. Field/Associate Justice of/U.. Sup. Court/Washington April 21st. 1876". Fine condition. (2) "M.R. Waite/Chief Justice Sup ct. U.S.", "Nathan Clifford/Associate Jus. Sup Court", "Yours truly/N H Swayne/Asso Jus. Sup. Court U.S.". Fine condition.(3) Autograph/W. Strong/Associate Justice Sup. Court U.S.", "Jos. P. Bradley/Asso. Justice Sup Ct U.S.", "Autograph Ward Hunt/Asso. Justice Supreme Court/U.S.". Fine condition. These nine Justices served together from 1874, when Waite became Chief Justice, to 1877 when Davis resigned to become a U.S. Senator. The Waite Court was the first to interpret the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. Called the "Civil War Amendments", the 13th Amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States", abolishing slavery in the United States. The 14th Amendment stated that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside", making all freed slaves U.S. citizens. The 15th Amendment states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude", letting all freed slaves vote. See "Preserving Federalism: Reconstruction and the Waite Court" by Michael Les Benedict, © 1979 The University of Chicago. Three items. Framed in Gallery of History style: 47x22½.