Posted 10 years ago
JBMEENACH
(1 item)
This is a photo that I got at an auction. It is a photo of some judges, one of which is Grover Cleveland, This was made before he was president. The second attachment is the name of the photography company, "Harris & Ewing"' which is in the lower left hand corner of photo. Tried to do more research on this photo but I cannot locate any info.
This is a photo of the Supreme Court Justices during the Taft administration. - Grover Cleveland held the offices of President, Governor of NY, Mayor of Buffalo NY, and Sheriff of Erie County NY. - He was a lawyer by profession but I do not believe he was ever a Judge.
http://www.old-picture.com/american-legacy/010/Supreme-Court-Court-Taft-008.htm
The origin of the supreme court is really unusual in that there was no provision for one. A group of power hungry lawyers formed it, seeking money, but had no charter so therefore no authority. That's why Andrew Jackson could tell them to kiss off when they ruled in favour of the Amer. Indians (Cherokee Nation) in forcefully removing them to OK. That even affected my early life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States
http://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/grovercleveland24
Clarify my comment - not the Taft Administration, the Taft Court headed by Chief Justice William Howard Taft (July 11, 1921 through February 3, 1930). - In the Supreme Court official photos, the Chief Justice is always seated in the front center. - Grover Cleveland would have in fact been dead already (1908) - William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States (1909-1913) and then later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States (1921-1930).
After seeing your photo I just HAD to post a similar one of my own. No disresepect intended!
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/145641-a-group-photo-of-stiff-men-in-suits
http://millercenter.org/president/cleveland/essays/biography/2
Roy, it was obviously a confusing time. The supreme court was orig. set up to handle tax laws & internat'l affairs. Study it closer & notice the usual omission of precise dates. These were times before fast communication & often took yrs. to get the idea across & accepted. European countries were probably confused about what the hell was going in the new country/nation & may have even been laughing. The constitution took time to circulate and be enacted after the articles of confederation.