The Life of Reverdy Johnson
Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Co., (1914). First printing. Black and white frontispiece portrait. Cloth hardcover. Octavo. vi, 284 pages. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Bound in brown cloth over boards with gilt-stamped spine and upper board titles. Historical society bookplate on front pastedown. Jacket has shallow edge chipping at top of rear panel and head of spine. Larger chip of about 1" x 3/4" at heel of spine, another of about 1/4" x 1/2" at lower fore corner fold of upper panel.
An important and uncommon biography of one of Maryland's most distinguished lawyers and politicians. Reverdy Johnson (1796-1876) was born in Annapolis and graduated from St. John's College there in 1812. He was admitted to the bar in 1815. He served in the United States Senate, the Maryland Legislature, and was U.S. Attorney General under Zachary Taylor. Johnson was considered a brilliant Constitutional lawyer and was directly involved in such notable cases as the McCormick reaper patent dispute and the Dred Scott case. Johnson was instrumental in keeping Maryland in the Union in 1861. He was the head defense attorney for Mary Surratt following the Lincoln Assassination. It was Reverdy Johnson who cast the deciding vote against the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson in the Senate.
A scarce book, even more so with the original dust jacket.
Item #834
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