The Princeton union., 1911-11-02
Taft's Appointments Equal
Record of Jackson
and Lincoln.

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wv successor to Justice John
M. harlan on the bench OF
the United States supreme
court, he will have made more ap.
polntments to that body than any
president except Washington, Jackson
and Lincoln. Washington appointed
altogether thirteen members of the
court, not all Of whom served. Jack
son and Lincoln each appointed FIVE
Jackson reconstructed the court. leav.
ing it at the close of his term with a
majority of the justices holding COM
missions awarded by him.
AS originally made up the supreme
court consisted of a chief Justice and
i've associate Justices In 1907 a sixth
associate was added when a new dis
trlct had been created to take in the
new western territory comprising the
states of Ohio, Tennessee and Ken
lucky. In 1887 the expansion Of the
nation westward again called for an
increase in the court and two more
associate justices We're added In 1868
ninth associate justice was needed,
but five years later, when approaching
vacancies made it likely that Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson might have the
appointment of the new members, con-
gress, then in open antagonism to the
chief executive, reduced the number to
seven, thus preventing him from max
ing an appointment.
This number two years later, after
the Inauguration Of President Grant.
was increased to eight associate JUS
tices and chief justice and as then
constituted the court has remained.
The last altera ton in the court was
declared at the time to be due to po-
litical reasons as clearly as the reduc-
tion in 1868, as the addition of new
member made it possible for the court
to reverse itself in the legal tender
decisions.
Records Since Washington.
Excluding the appointment of men,
bers who for one reason or another
never served, the presidents have ap-
pointed members Of the court as fol-
lows: Washington 1.-TWO terms), 8;
John Adams, 8; Jefferson 1.-TWO terms),
3; Madison 1.-TWO terms), 2; Monroe
1.-TWO terms), 1; John Quincy Adams, 1;
Jackson 1.-TWO terms), 5; Van Buren,, 4;
Tyler, 2; Polk, 1; Fillmore, 1; Pierce,
1; Buchanan, 1; Lincoln, 5; Grant, 4;
Hayes, 2; Garfield, 1; Arthur, 2; Cleve-
land first term), 2; Benjamin Harri-
son, 4; Cleveland (second term), 2;
Mckinley, 1; Roosevelt, 3: Taft (after
filling the present vacancy, S.
OF Washington's original appoint
ments, Rutledge and Robert B. Harri-
son declined appointment Washing
ton made more appointments to the Of
fee of chief justice than any other
president. His first choice was John
Jay. On Jays resignation, in 1895.
Washington appointed Rutledge. de-
spite the advice Of Hamilton and 9TH
ers of his advisers. Rutledge presided
at the summer term Of the court, but
before the senate could act on his
nomination his mind had become i'm
paired, and he was rejected. The pres
1dent then named William Gushing, an
associate justice, who declined on the
ground that he preferred to remain as
an associate. Then Oliver Ellsworth
was named.
Jefferson Named Three.
WHOM t711o1ror+I roc;rDo1 :, 100
Adams, without consulting Jay, again
appointed him to be the head of the
court. Jay refused to serve. Just be-
fore leaving office Adams appointed
Marshall. Jefferson, in his two terms,
had the opportunity to appoint only
three members Of the court. One of
these was Thomas Todd of Kentucky.
who was named as the member from
the new western circuit created in
1907. The manner of Todd's appoint
ment was interesting. Jefferson called
in all the members Of congress from
the three western states and asked
them to submit to him a list of their
first and second choices for the place.
The name Of Todd appeared on every
list
Madison soon after taking office
found two vacancies caused by the
death of Justices Chase and Gushing.
He first named Levi Lincoln of Mas
sachusetts to succeed Gushing, but Lin
coin declined on the ground that his