Nathan Clifford
Nathan Clifford was a prominent American lawyer and politician in the 19th century, known for his significant contributions to the legal and political landscape. He studied law under Josiah Quincy and was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1827. His political career included three terms in the Maine legislature and two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1846, he was appointed attorney general by President James K. Polk, where he played a key role in negotiating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which concluded the Mexican-American War in 1848. Nominated to the Supreme Court by President James Buchanan in 1858, Clifford participated in several important legal cases, including the Legal Tender Cases, where he expressed differing opinions on the constitutionality of treasury notes. While he held proslavery views, he generally supported the Union's efforts during the Civil War. Throughout his career, he argued in nearly four hundred cases, predominantly in the areas of maritime and commercial law, as well as issues related to Mexican land grants. His legacy reflects the complexities of his time and the evolving nature of American law.
Subject Terms
Nathan Clifford
Statesman
- Born: August 18, 1803
- Birthplace: Rumney, New Hampshire
- Died: July 25, 1881
- Place of death: Cornish, Maine
Nominated by: James Buchanan
Significance: Clifford spoke for the Supreme Court in nearly four hundred cases and presided over the commission that decided the disputed 1876 presidential election. He consistently dissented from Court opinions upholding federal power to confiscate property during wartime.
Clifford studied law under Josiah Quincy and was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1827. He served three terms in the Maine legislature and two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1846 he was appointed attorney general by President James K. Polk, and while serving as special commissioner to Mexico, he arranged the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. After being nominated by President James Buchanan, Clifford took his seat on the Supreme Court in 1858.
Clifford concurred in the first of the Legal Tender Cases, Hepburn v. Griswold (1870) but dissented in Knox v. Lee (1871), declaring Congress’s issuing of treasury notes to pay earlier debts to be constitutional. In Loan Association v. Topeka (1874), Clifford stated that state legislative power was almost absolute, subject only to specific state and federal constitutional provisions. Despite his proslavery views, he generally supported the government during the Civil War. Clifford argued in nearly four hundred Court cases, with most involving maritime and commercial law and laws affecting Mexican land grants.