Sandra Day O’Connor Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Welcome to the second half of the lecture series. I happen to be very enthusiastic about the lecture series sponsored by these two organizations. We justices love our history. So I’m here to learn a little more along with you tonight. Our lecture this evening is Professor Philip pallidum of the University of Kansas. He is the author of five books dealing with the Civil War period in our nation’s history, and numerous published articles. No one is better qualified than he to participate in this lecture series about the Supreme Court during the Civil War period. He will speak to us tonight about Chief Justice Taney President Lincoln and the constitutional conversation. Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney was from Calvert County, Maryland. I think I was asked to introduce the speaker tonight because I believe I am not only justice sense Chief Justice Taney to live in the state of Maryland. But be that as it may, he married and key, the sister of Francis Scott Key who wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Taney came from an agrarian family. In fact, I think they grew tobacco, and he inherited some slaves. Boom, he laid her set free, but he believed that the federal government had no authority to limit or abolish slavery. He thought that authority resided only in the States. He was a federalist and when the Fed Roll a party fell into disarray. He became a Jacksonian Democrat, which led him time to his appointment as Attorney General of

Host And that is very high praise from him. Maybe growing up in the arid West now draws you to its waters. In appreciation for all that you have done for us and for the nation. We offer you a small token of appreciation and hope that the waters of the West will bring you back to us in the years to come. Justice O’Connor, thank you. And our, the gift is a fly box, inscribed, “Presented to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, with appreciation, from your friends in the Ninth Circuit, July 21, 2005.”

Sandra Day O’Connor But what’s in it? Aha. All right. Now this looks like some serious fishing flies that I will very much enjoy trying to put to use with better luck than I had on Tuesday. And it’s a perfectly wonderful box and the flies look great. And I can’t imagine a better thing for you to leave with me to tempt me to come back many times. Ninth Circuit territory. Host Thank you judge–

Sandra Day O’Connor Now they’re gonna make me go to work. Host Thank you, Judge levy. Justice O’Connor. Your announcement took us all by surprise. Was it a difficult decision for you? Sandra Day O’Connor Yes. Yes. It’s been such a privilege to serve on the Supreme Court. When I was little, I always wanted to work. I wanted to work at some kind of work worth doing. Something where the individual effort put in would make a difference. And I was so privileged to serve 24 years at work that fitted that category very well. And then some. So I was lucky to have it. Host Judge Marilyn huff who was the former

Sandra Day O’Connor Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Sandra Day O’Connor Mrs. Parker, Mary, Dell prints law, Justice Powell, councillors, directors, members and friends of Stratford Hall. What a treat it is for john and for me to visit this beautiful place. We wanted to for 13 years ever since we got to this area. But this was the first time we’d had a request we just couldn’t refuse. That is to give a little tribute to Lewis Powell. And how can I say no to that? So here we are. And we’re, of course, enchanted with this beautiful farm, its surroundings and and all that it has to offer. It’s my job tonight to tell you a little bit about Lewis Powell. And you know, a lot of it already, ’cause it’s in your programs, and it’s in the background. And I hope a lot of you have already read the biography of Lewis Powell, but I’ll say more about that later. You know, Justice Powell, was the 99th justice on the Supreme Court. Perhaps he was the most reluctant justice. It’s reported that on the day in January 1972, when Lewis Powell was sworn in, together with William Rehnquist, my law school classmate that Nan Rehnquist asked Justice Powell’s wife, Jo, if it wasn’t the most exciting day in her life. And Jo reportedly said, “No, it’s the worst day of my life. I’m about to cry.”

Lewis Powell had turned down an appointment to the Supreme Court in 1969. He was prepared to turn it down again in 1972. Luckily for the Court, and for the nation, Lewis Powell reluctantly agreed to accept the

Unknown Speaker And appellate levels in our home state of Arizona and who became the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Unknown Speaker Thank you. Sandra Day O’Connor Thank you, Larry. It is a real treat to be here tonight with so many luminaries from the state court system, mile home. And Chief Judge Peters Chief Justice Peters is going to be remembered for many things. For her life as a legal scholar, as an author, as a state Supreme Court Chief Justice as a member and volunteer for many charitable organizations, and she’s also going to be remembered as an uncommon Lee nice person, as a loving wife and mother and as a friend. And today, we know two new jobs for which Chief Justice Peters will be remembered as chair of the board of directors of the National Center for state courts, which sponsors this dinner. And as President of the conference of Chief Justices. Now, Ellen ash Peterson, I have something in common. We were born within five days of each other. I’m not telling you who’s older. Born in Berlin, I am El Paso, Texas. We have something else in common. Each of us has an absolutely wonderful husband. And my husband and Ellen’s husband are members of the same fraternity. And Philip stand up nobody has pointed to recognize. As a former state court judge, I have a strong appreciation for the complex that TM the delicacy of the relationship between the federal and the state courts. Chief Justice Peters brings enormous talent

This is a reading from a sermon delivered in 1630 by the Pilgrim leader, John Winthrop, who was aboard the ship The Arabella on his way from England to the Massachusetts Bay colony. The city on the hill passage was referenced by President Reagan in several notable speeches.

Now, the only way to provide for our posterity is to follow the council of Micah, to do justly, to walk humbly with our god. We must delight in each other. Make others’ conditions our own, rejoice together. Mourn together. Labor and suffer together. Always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work as members of the same body. The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us as his own people. For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.

Sandra Day O’Connor Secretary Cohen, General Vaught, distinguished guests here today and women of the United States military service. This is such a special moment, and a very proud day for women. I’m here today, not as a member of the military service, not as a veteran, but as a woman, as a grandmother, and perhaps as just a judicious observer. From the American Revolution, to Operation Desert Storm women have served in the military for most of the nation’s history. That service was unauthorized and carried out by women as volunteers, sometimes disguised as men. Approximately 127 women fought and skies is soldiers in the Civil War. After a century beginning in 1901, the United States Army established an auxiliary for nurses. Women did not become a permanent part of our armed services until 1948. But their number was kept 2% of the active duty force. That ceiling was lifted in 1967. Today, women represent about 11% of our armed forces. Some 211,000 women are on active duty, and there are some one and a half million American women who are veterans of the military service today. It is time indeed that we dedicate this splendid memorial to the women who have served in the military. As major Beatrice hood stroke, put it This isn’t just my brother’s country or my husband’s country, it’s my country as well. Indeed it is. Women have taken their places and all fields of endeavor in this country, from outer space to ocean depths, from battlefields to Court Room benches, from Chow lines

Sandra Day O’Connor Madam Chancellor Thank you President gravely. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. KQ very touching, you’re gonna make me cry, don’t come back. I have treasured my connection with this wonderful university. The more I see if it, the more I like it, you’re graduating from a really special University. And the professor’s here are wonderful, they’re tough. They really care about teaching you something that will stay with you. I’ve been enormously impressed with it. I’ve been close to several University, Steve. And this one is truly special, particularly in the quality and dedication of the faculty. And it’s not an unattractive place to be is it? It’s great. And we finally had a commencement on a day when it isn’t raining. So I care about each of you and want you to have a wonderful future. As someone said, on the way in, you may have several children, you may even be married more than once. But you’re only going to have one commencement from a university. And this is it for many up some of you will go on for graduate degrees and run through it again. But you will only go through this one time. And it matters a lot to you, it matters to us. We hope that in the future, you will remain remain with good ties to this university that you will come back from time to time, and lend your support and that you will succeed in following a good course of action in the future. If you manage to provide some time in your future to public service, you will make