Letter from the Justices of the Supreme Court to President George Washington
In this letter, Chief Justice of the United States John Jay alludes to the idea of the three branches of government having a system of checks and balances on each other. As a result, the Chief Justice and other justices of the Supreme Court decided not to advise the President on certain matters on which he should consult with heads of the executive departments. This effectively set the precedent that the Supreme Court does not give out advisory opinions. The questions asked of the justices were in regards to France and international neutrality.
John Jay was appointed the first Chief Justice of the United States by George Washington, serving from 1789 to 1795. James Wilson and John Blair were two of the original associate justices of the Supreme Court. James Iredell was appointed in 1790, and William Paterson was appointed to the court in 1793.
Letter from the Supreme Court Justices to President George Washington, August 8, 1793. National Archives Identifier: 5956319.
Letter from the Supreme Court Justices to President George Washington, August 8, 1793. National Archives Identifier: 5956319.
View and download the Letter from Justices of the Supreme Court to President George Washington in the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more records held in the National Archives at College Park through the National Archives Catalog or by visiting our research room in person. These records are located in Record Group 59: Records of the Department of State, Series: Letters Received, 1789–1906.