Robert H. Jackson: his years as a public servant "learned in the law".

AuthorGraffeo, Victoria A.
PositionTestimonial

Even before he became a United States Supreme Court Justice in 1941, Robert Houghwout Jackson had attained national prominence as a government lawyer and political confidant of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His ascension to the Supreme Court was nothing short of remarkable in light of the fact that just seven years earlier he was practicing law as a sole practitioner in Jamestown, New York. Although Robert Jackson was well respected in western New York legal circles, it is doubtful that his professional accomplishments could have been foreseen during his early years as a lawyer. Given his meteoric rise, Robert Jackson's life represents a quintessential example of an American success story. In many respects, Jackson had more in common with nineteenth century self-educated leaders than with his contemporaries. But, he unquestionably possessed twentieth century vision in recognizing the importance of our legal system and the role of the judiciary in the structure of American democracy.

As we mark the fiftieth anniversary of Justice Jackson's death, there are important reasons why we should keep the memory and work of Robert Jackson alive. His towering intellect and tenacity were coupled with a strong sense of personal independence and ethical conviction--attributes that continue to exemplify the highest standards of the legal profession. His achievements as a government attorney illustrate his deep respect for the law and how it can be used to shape the relationship between a government and its people. Justice Jackson's legacy is usually associated with his accomplishments as a Justice of the Supreme Court and as the organizer and chief prosecutor for the United States at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg after World War II. But, the years he spent in the Roosevelt administration--from 1934 to 1941--should not be overlooked. His work at the U.S. Treasury and the Justice Department--where he served as Solicitor General and eventually as Attorney General during the volatile New Deal era which brought about monumental change in American society--also secured his stature in American history.

EARLY VALUES

Robert Jackson grew up at the turn of the twentieth century in a hard-working Pennsylvanian farm family that instilled values in him that would define his entire life, particularly the importance of persistence and independent thought. These fundamental beliefs were evident even in his early endeavors. Upon graduating from high school, he chose to undertake a course of self-study in the classics rather than attend college. After deciding to pursue law as a career against his father's wishes, he apprenticed at his cousin's law office in Jamestown. He then borrowed money from an uncle to meet the cost of tuition in order to enroll at Albany Law School. In 1913, having reached twenty-one years of age, Jackson was admitted to the New York Bar and set up his practice in Jamestown. Always proud of these hometown roots, he was to become one of the nation's most famous "country lawyers." (1)

During the year he spent at law school, Robert Jackson made the most of his time in Albany, New York State's capital. In addition to attending arguments at the New York Court of Appeals, he watched sessions of the New York State Legislature. These observations apparently sparked his interest in politics because as a young lawyer he became active in party politics. Despite the pervasive influence of the Republican Party in the region where he practiced law, Jackson followed the political leanings of his family, whom he described as "stiff Democrat[s]." (2) Through his work on behalf of the Democratic Party, he met Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was then a state legislator from Dutchess County. After Roosevelt became Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Jackson traveled to Washington, D.C. to enlist Roosevelt's assistance in arranging meetings with federal agencies, such as the U.S. Post Office, that had employment opportunities in western New York for local members of their party. Roosevelt was surprisingly accommodating in his response to these patronage requests. (3) These acts of political benevolence apparently won Jackson's firm allegiance to Roosevelt, and their friendship would serve Jackson well as Roosevelt's career soared to Governor of New York and President of the United States. (4)

MOVE TO WASHINGTON

After two decades as a lawyer, Robert Jackson had a prosperous litigation practice, and more importantly, had...

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