The Chief Justiceship of Melville Fuller, 1888-1910

Melville Fuller served as the eighth Chief Justice of the United States from 1888 to 1910. His tenure was marked by a number of important decisions, including the landmark case of United States v. E.C. Knight Co., which limited the government's ability to regulate interstate commerce.

Fuller was born in Augusta, Maine, in 1833. He graduated from Bown College in 1853 and then studied law at Harvard Law School. After graduating from Harvard, Fuller moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he began his legal career. He quickly rose through the ranks of the legal profession and was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1885.

The Chief Justiceship of Melville W. Fuller, 1888–1910 (Chief Justiceships of the United States Supreme Court)

by James W. Ely

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In 1888, President Grover Cleveland appointed Fuller to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fuller was a controversial choice for the position, as he was not well-known outside of Illinois and had little experience in federal law. However, Cleveland was impressed by Fuller's intelligence and his commitment to judicial independence.

Fuller's Supreme Court

Fuller's Supreme Court was a conservative body that often ruled in favor of business interests. In United States v. E.C. Knight Co., the Court ruled that the Sherman Antitrust Act did not apply to manufacturing, even if the manufactured goods were sold across state lines. This decision limited the government's ability to regulate big business and helped to usher in an era of corporate dominance in the United States.

Fuller's Court also ruled against labor unions in a number of cases. In In re Debs, the Court upheld the government's use of injunctions to break up a railroad strike. This decision weakened the power of labor unions and made it more difficult for workers to organize for better wages and working conditions.

However, Fuller's Court also made some progressive decisions. In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., the Court ruled that the federal income tax was unconstitutional. This decision limited the government's ability to raise revenue and made it more difficult to fund social welfare programs.

Fuller's Legacy

Fuller's legacy is a mixed one. He was a conservative judge who often ruled in favor of business interests. However, he also made some progressive decisions, such as his decision in Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. Fuller's Court played a major role in shaping the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Fuller died in 1910, at the age of 77. He is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

Melville Fuller was a complex and controversial figure. He was a brilliant legal scholar who made a significant contribution to American law. However, he was also a conservative judge who often ruled in favor of business interests. Fuller's legacy is a mixed one, but he is无疑 one of the most important figures in American legal history.

Bibliography

• Melville Weston Fuller

  , Encyclopedia Britannica.

• Melville Fuller

  , Oyez.

• Melville Fuller

  , Supreme Court of the United States.