Letter from Roger B. Taney to Samuel Nelson

Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney writes to Associate Justice Samuel Nelson about various court and other legal matters. As a result of his poor health, Taney asks for details about the procedures Nelson has used for hearing appeals at his office since he is not sure that he will be able to travel to Baltimore. Taney also comments on an ongoing legal cases. "I have made up my mind to continue the indictments for treason" and, as Taney explains, even "if the district attorney presses the prosecutions I shall refuse to take them up and shall order the cases to be continued." Taney argues it is impossible for a person to have "a fair and impartial trial" when Maryland is under martial law. Transcript included.