John Quincy Adams to Henry Knox explaining why he had not removed two judges - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC02437.07788
From Archive Folder	The Henry Knox Papers [0151] January-June 1803
Title	John Quincy Adams to Henry Knox explaining why he had not removed two judges
Date	14 February 1803
Author	Adams, John Quincy (1767-1848)
Recipient	Knox, Henry
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Writes to Knox to discuss why Adams "dissented from the vote for an address to remove the two Judges." Includes the major reasons as to why he dissented, such as that the judges were only accused of "official misdemeanors," and that the Constitution does not provide for the removal of judges except by the impeachment procedure.
Subjects	US Constitution President President Government and Civics Politics Judiciary Impeachment American Statesmen
People	Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Adams, John Quincy (1767-1848)
Place written	Boston, Massachusetts
Theme	Law; Government & Politics; The Presidency; Creating a New Government
Sub-collection	The Henry Knox Papers
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Related documents	Report to the court concerning the removal of two judges from office
Transcript	Show/hide Download PDF [draft] Boston 14 Feby: 1803 1 O'Clock P.M. Dear Sir, I have but the moment arrived in town; and upon reaching my house received your favour of yesterday. This must be my apology for not having sooner answered it. The following is a copy of the reasons for which I dissented from the vote for an address to remove the two Judges. "First - Because the grounds alledged [sic] in the said address for the removal are for official misdemeanors; and the subscriber conceives it to be the intention of the Constitution, that no Judicial Officer should be removed from Office, by the mode of an Address of the two houses, on the ground of Offences, for the trial of which the Constitution has expressly provided the mode of Impeachment." "Secondly - Because he considers the Independence of the Judiciary, as materially affected, by a mode of proceeding which in its effects must make the tenure of all Judicial Offices dependent upon the verdict of a Jury, in any one County of the Commonwealth." "Thirdly - Because the decision of the Senate in this case, affecting in the highest degree, the rights, the character and reputation of two individual citizens of this Commonwealth, ought not to have been taken, without giving them an opportunity previously to be heard in their own defence. I am with the highest respect, Dear Sir, Your very humble and obedt: Servt. John Quincy Adams Hon: Genl: Knox.

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