727601
Harlan Fiske Stone
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Harlan Fiske Stone, 1872-1946. Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court, 1925-1941; Chief Justice of the United States, 1941-1946. Excellent association Typed Letter Signed, Harlan F. Stone, one page, 8” x 10½”, on stationery of the Office of the Attorney General, Washington, D.C., September 22, 1924.
This is an excellent association letter. Attorney General Stone, a former law professor and dean at Columbia University law school, shows his preference for lawyers, but he nevertheless refers to J. Edgar Hoover a friend's recommendation of a non-lawyer, Anthony Rallis, for a position in the Bureau of Investigation, which later became the FBI. In part: "While it is true that we have a number of agents who are not lawyers or who have not had legal training, we are endeavoring at the present time to increase the number of men having such training as we find agents with that training are more useful. I am, however, referring your letter to Mr. Hoover, Acting Director of the Bureau, and he may find an opportunity for Mr. Rallis."
This letter is also rather uncommon because of Stone's short tenure as Attorney General. Stone served just under 11 months as Attorney General before President Calvin Coolidge appointed him to the Supreme Court. On April 7, 1924, Stone replaced Harry M. Daugherty, who left in the wake of the Teapot Dome scandal of the Harding Administration. He served until March 2, 1925, when he resigned to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Stone took his oath of office as an Associate Justice on Sunday, March 1, 1925, and formally left the Attorney General's office on Monday, March 2, his first workday at the Court.
It was Stone who appointed Hoover, then 29 years old, to be Acting Director of the Bureau of Investigation on May 10, 1924.
Coolidge, Stone's Amherst College classmate, appointed Stone to the Court to succeed Justice Joseph McKenna. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt elevated him to the position of Chief Justice. He remained on the Court until he died unexpectedly in 1946. Altogether Stone served more than 21 years on the Supreme Court.
As an associate justice of the Supreme Court, Stone established a reputation for his strong dissents, especially those in which he defended New Deal social and economic welfare legislation against the conservative majority. Thus, although Stone was a Republican, Roosevelt named him Chief Justice upon the retirement of Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes. As the composition of the Court changed, ultimately many of Stone's dissents became the majority view.
Stone has signed this letter in black fountain pen. The letter has mailing folds, which do not affect the signature, a paper clip impression in the upper left margin, and minor soiling. Overall it is in fine condition.
Unframed. Please ask us about custom framing this piece.
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