Description:

Woodrow Wilson TLS to O'Gorman of "little group of willful men" Who Tanked His Armed Neutrality Bill 5 Weeks Earlier

A 1p typed letter signed by 28th U.S. President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) as "Woodrow Wilson" at center right. April 12, 1917. [Washington, D.C.] Typed in blue ink on watermarked bifold paper embossed "The White House / Washington" at the letterhead. Blank inner pages and outer page. Expected wear including flattened paper folds and a slightly wrinkled right edge. Isolated typed ink smearing, else near fine. 7" x 8.875."

This letter provides a fascinating look at American politics directly after the U.S. declaration of war on Germany was confirmed by Congress on April 6, 1917. Since early 1917, the United States had been in a "twilight zone," as U.S. Senator from Alabama Oscar Underwood described it, between outright war and strained peace. The United States had severed diplomatic relations with Germany on February 3, 1917 in response to the latter's violation of the Sussex Pledge not to practice unrestricted submarine warfare. On February 26, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress to grant the Executive branch the authority to arm American merchant vessels against German submarine attacks. The armed neutrality bill passed the House, but was tanked in the Senate on March 4, 1917 after twelve Senators participated in an eleventh-hour filibuster and the bill died at the close of the 64th Congress.

Wilson's correspondent, former U.S. Senator from New York James A. O'Gorman (1860-1943), was one of the twelve who had voted against the armed neutrality bill. O'Gorman had objected to it mostly on technicalities as opposed to pacifist principles; he disliked that the House version differed from the Senate version of the measure, and was also concerned about how to limit Wilson's powers.

Retribution against O'Gorman and the other eleven Senators who blocked passage of the bill, including seven Republicans and four other Democrats, was swift. On the evening of March 4, 1917, President Wilson excoriated the twelve Senators who had thwarted the emergency measure. President Wilson fumed: "The Senate of the United States is the only legislative body in the world which cannot act when its majority is ready for action. A little group of willful men, representing no opinion but their own, have rendered the great Government of the United States helpless and contemptible." Public reaction was mostly enraged. In the words of an editorial published in the "Adams County Free Press" (Corning, Iowa) on March 17, 1917, the twelve vetoing Senators were the "Kaiser's dozen" whose pro-German sympathies would result in the Prussianizing of America.

O'Gorman's term in the Senate had expired along with the 64th Congress in early March 1917, so O'Gorman did not participate in the Senate vote to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917. The measure passed the Senate by an 82-6 vote. Three of five Democrats who had filibustered the armed neutrality bill the previous month stood their ground and voted no to war. Would O'Gorman have done the same? Now a private citizen, O'Gorman planned to return to private law practice and stay involved in the community through various organizations.

Considering recent political events, then, it is interesting to see how Wilson interacted with O'Gorman just five weeks after the filibuster. O'Gorman was too old to enlist, but he may have volunteered to support "Mr. Wilson's War" in other ways, probably through public speaking engagements.

Wilson warmly wrote O'Gorman in part:

"Please accept my heartiest thanks for your letter of April 10th. I appreciate the spirit of patriotism which prompted your generous offer of service…"

By October 1917, O'Gorman was towing the party line and supporting the war effort. An issue of the "Buffalo Courier" published on October 13, 1917 reported that O'Gorman spoke at a Columbus Day event, saying: "This war will put the loyalty of the American people to the test…There is but one place for an American citizen. He must stand under the flag with heart and soul…"

James A. O'Gorman served on term as U.S. Senator from New York, from 1911-1917. Prior to that, he was a New York Supreme Court Justice from 1900-1911 and from 1902-1906 the Grand Sachem of the Tammany Society.

The Cloture Rule, implemented shortly after the armed neutrality bill debacle, on March 8, 1917, now grants the authority to shut down debates if a great enough majority agree on a measure.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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