Levi Woodbury
Levi Woodbury was a prominent American politician and jurist in the 19th century. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1809 and studied law at Litchfield Law School before being admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1812. Woodbury's early career included serving as a judge on the state superior court, and he later became the governor of New Hampshire. His national influence grew when he served in the U.S. Senate and held significant cabinet positions as secretary of the Navy and secretary of the Treasury under President Andrew Jackson, where he opposed the rechartering of the Bank of the United States in favor of an independent treasury.
In 1845, President James K. Polk appointed Woodbury to the Supreme Court, where he notably argued in the Passenger Cases that states had the right to regulate immigrants. Although he personally opposed slavery, he maintained that it should be addressed at the state level rather than federally. Woodbury was also an advocate for education, supporting free public education and adult education initiatives. His contributions in various roles made him a respected figure in American political and judicial history.
Subject Terms
Levi Woodbury
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
- Born: December 22, 1789
- Birthplace: Francestown, New Hampshire
- Died: September 4, 1851
- Place of death: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Nominated by: James K. Polk
Significance: While serving on the Supreme Court, Woodbury wrote his most notable opinions in dissent, usually taking a states’ rights, strict constructionist view of the Constitution. He vigorously supported the improvement of education.
Woodbury graduated from Dartmouth in 1809, studied law at Litchfield Law School, and was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1812. In 1817 he was appointed to the state superior court and served until 1823, when he was elected governor of New Hampshire. From 1825 to 1831 he served in the U.S. Senate. President Andrew Jackson appointed him secretary of the Navy (1831-1834) and secretary of the Treasury (1834-1841). Woodbury provided strong opposition to the rechartering of the Bank of the United States, promoting instead the idea of an independent treasury. In 1841 he was again elected to the U.S. Senate.
President James K. Polk appointed Woodbury to the Supreme Court in 1845. In the Passenger Cases (1849), Woodbury argued that states could legally regulate admitted immigrants without violating the commerce clause. Although he personally opposed slavery, he insisted that slavery was a state, not a federal, matter. On the bench, he strongly advocated free public education, systematic teacher training, and public facilities for adult education. His solid reasoning and hard work made Woodbury a valuable, respected member of the Court.