PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 05/21/1932 - HFSID 76190

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
He signs an important typed letter to his future Attorney General and Supreme Court appointee Robert Jackson, justifying his decision to replace the projected Chairman of the 1932 Democratic National Convention with an FDR supporter.
Important Political Typed Letter Signed: "Franklin D. Roosevelt", 1½ pages, 8x10½, separate sheets. At Warm Springs, Georgia, 1932 May 21. On his stationery as Governor of New York to Hon. Robert Jackson, Boston. Headed: "Private" by FDR. In full: "I am glad indeed that you have had such a good talk with Jouett [Jouett Shouse of Kansas]. I fully appreciate the strain and the real difficulties under which he has labored and I can assure you that I have nothing but the friendliest feeling for him. Quite aside from any difficult positions in which he was placed in regard to me, I fully recognize the real services to the Party in connection with the Washington headquarters. The real difficulty about his selection as permanent chairman is first that he has had no experience in a difficult task of that kind and, secondly, that if the Convention were held tomorrow his selection would be regarded very unfavorably by the overwhelming mass of delegates and leaders who are for me. Of course, during the next five weeks various things may happen. The result in Vermont was splendid, though I am a little amused at the fact that that part of the eastern press which is hostile deliberately left out the fact that Vermont was claimed definitely and on many occasions as a Smith [Alfred E. Smith] state. Since I saw you I have been in personal touch with leaders from practically every part of the country and they are getting into a state of mind where they will brook no possible defeat in the Convention and are taking the bit in their teeth. One of our fairly conservative friends in the middle West was here the other day and says it is 'Roosevelt or bust' and they would rather bust than not have Roosevelt!'! They will decline to be dictated to by a minority and feel that all blame for discord will rest upon that minority. I get back next Thursday or Friday and hope to see you soon." Five weeks later, the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago. JOUETT SHOUSE (1879-1968), Congressman from Kansas from 1915-1919, had become Chairman of the Democratic National Executive Committee in 1929. From the July 4, 1932 issue of "Time" magazine: "Shouse v. Walsh. The first fight scheduled for the convention was on the permanent chairmanship. Originally picked to preside was Jouett Shouse, able chief at the Washington headquarters. Roosevelt supporters had agreed to his election and the Governor was supposed to have sanctioned him. Then it was announced that Governor Roosevelt's demand for the chair was Montana's grey-grim Senator Walsh. Mr. Shouse had been ditched, it was explained, because he did not favor the Roosevelt candidacy. Quickly the anti-Roosevelt battalions rallied to Mr. Shouse's support, charging that Governor Roosevelt was guilty of bad faith. Al Smith vehemently declared: 'A principle is at stake -- the principle of keeping your word.' James Farley, loud chief-of-staff of the Roosevelt forces, boomed out 'pooh-poohs,' claimed he had the majority necessary to elect Senator Walsh. A friendly gavel would greatly help the Roosevelt candidacy." On the first ballot, Roosevelt received 666¼ votes to the 1928 Democratic nominee Al Smith's 201¾ votes and was nominated. ROBERT JACKSON (1892-1954) later served as FDR's Attorney General (1940-1941) and as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1941-1954). Lightly creased, diagonal fold at blank lower left corner of first page. Ink stained just at lower blank edge of signature page. Fine condition.