1To George Washington from James Wilson, 18 October 1789 (Washington Papers)
Your Commission, appointing me one of the associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and your very obliging Letter, with which it was accompanied, I have had the Honour of receiving. Be assured, Sir, that I entertain a just Sense of the delicate and pleasing Manner, in which you describe the Motives and the Objects of your Choice. Permit me to add—I hope I do it with Justice...
2III. James Wilson to Thomas Jefferson, 13 August 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just now informed that the Place of Clerk for recording the Laws of the United States and keeping the Papers of the former Congress is vacant and in your Gift. If the Information is true; permit me to recommend to you for this Office, a Friend of mine William Nichols Esquire Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions and of the Orphans Court in the County of Philadelphia. I can recommend him...
3Enclosure II: James Wilson to William Bingham, 24 August 1791 (Washington Papers)
While I am employed in the Trust committed to me by the House of Representatives; I conceive it my Duty, from Time to Time, to inform them through you, of the Steps, which I have taken and of those, which I mean to take, in order to accomplish the great End, which is in View. From the Records deposited in the Rolls-Office I have taken an Account of all the Laws made in Pennsylvania from its...
4To George Washington from James Wilson, 31 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to what you mentioned when I had the Honour of an Interview with you, I have reduced to Writing my Sentiments concerning a Digest of Laws for the United States. I enclose also the Copy of a Letter, which I wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania. This shews the Manner ⟨mutilated⟩ a Digest of Law ought, in my Opinion, to be executed. Any farther...
5Enclosure I: From James Wilson, 31 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
By the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania I am empowered to “ digest into proper Order and Form the Laws of that Commonwealth;” and “to report such Alterations, Additions and Improvements as the Principles and Forms of the Constitution may require.” In this Work I have made some Progress; during which it has occurred to me, that a similar Work with Regard to the Laws of the United States...
6To George Washington from the Supreme Court Justices, 20 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
We have taken into consideration the Letter written to us by your Direction, on the 18th Instant, by the Secretary of State. The Question “whether the public may with propriety be availed of the advice of the Judges, on the Questions alluded to?[”] appears to us to be of much Difficulty as well as Importance—as it affects the judicial Department, we feel a Reluctance to decide it, without the...
7To George Washington from Supreme Court Justices, 8 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
We have considered the previous Question stated in a Letter written to us by your Direction, by the Secretary of State, on the 18th of last month. The Lines of Separation drawn by the Constitution between the three Departments of Government—their being in certain Respects checks on each other—and our being Judges of a court in the last Resort—are Considerations which afford strong arguments...
8Enclosure: Affidavit from James Wilson, 2 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
I James Wilson one of the associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States do hereby certify that I have this day administered to Edmund Randolph in pursuance of an act entituled “An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths,” an oath, that he will support the constitution of the United States; and that I have also at the same time administered to the same...
9To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilson, 6 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, October 6, 1796. On October 12, 1796, Hamilton wrote to Théophile Cazenove : “I have received two letters of the 6th & 10th of October from Judge James Wilson.” Letter of October 6 not found. ]
10To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilson, 10 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, October 10, 1796. On October 12, 1796, Hamilton wrote to Théophile Cazenove : “I have received two letters of the 6th & 10th of October from Judge James Wilson.” Letter of October 10 not found. ]