UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Charlottesville – Virginia – 22901
School of Law
Daniel J. Meador
James Monroe Professor of Law
804/924-3947

Reҫu le 9 JUIN 1986 June 2, 1986

Mr. Ronald P. Sokol
Avocate Américain Counseil Juridique
13540 Puyrichard
Aix-en-Pr ovence
France

Dear Ron:

Thank you very much for your letter. It whets all the more
my desire to pay you a visit. Much to my regret, however, the
Vienna gathering, which was the ultimate objective of our
European venture, has now been cancelled. This comes about
largely as a result of the American apprehensions about
terrorism, coupled with radiation (the latter being a factor
because the group was destined also for the Soviet Union). I
object strenuously to the cancellation of trips to Europe this
summer on the ground of terrorism. We have nearly 50,000 deaths
a year on American highways as a result of automobile accidents,
and there are hundreds of murders in the cities. The risk of
serious bodily injury in America is at least as great and maybe
greater, than it is in Europe. But despite my protestations on
this point, trips are being cancelled on all sides. In any
event, because the Vienna gathering was a central event in our
outing, we believe that we should not undertake the European
trip, although this decision causes us to cancel our visit with
you. I do hope very much that one of these days we can get there
to see you, and we shall certainly continue to plan and hope in
that direction.

It was good to get caught up on news of your family, and I
was especially interested to hear of Daniel. Please assure him
that I do exist in the flesh, although the flesh is showing the
wear and tear of time.

I have just come back from a three-day meeting in Maine of
an ABA Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements. I find this
Committee to be increasingly frustrating inasmuch as the lawyers
on it have very little real interest in doing anything
significant about the system. The proposals that can get a
majority agreement are simply tinkering measures. I will serve
out the year remaining in my term, but I do not aspire to a
reappointment. The Committee does meet in interesting places,
and they eat well.

[end of page 1]

Mr. Ronald P. Sokol
June 2, 1986
Page 2

Recently I had an unusual and more than ordinarily
interesting experience. The Supreme Court Historical Society
sponsors an annual lecture in the restored Supreme Court Chamber
in the Capitol. About two months ago I was at a gathering with
the Chief Justice, and he said that the Lord Chief Justice of
England, who had been scheduled as the annual lecturer for this
May, had since cancelled. The Chief wanted to know whether by
any chance I would be available on short notice to give the
lecture. I went into my attic and found a draft done 22 years
ago on the appointment on L.Q.C. Lamar to the Supreme Court.
After hearing it read I concluded that it would do as the lecture
— an almost incredible circumstance. In any event, after a bit
of polishing and touching up to make the story of the
confirmation fight a bit more dramatic, I did deliver the lecture
in the old Supreme Court Chamber on May 12. It will be published
in the annual yearbook of the society. You no doubt remember
Lamar and my efforts at doing something with his life. In the
course of getting ready for this lecture I also reread nearly a
dozen other drafts I had done on various phases of his life, many
of which bore your editorial comments from more than two decades
ago. My interest has now been revived, and I may undertake to
put all of this in some sort of publishable form. At least I
will give it further thought.

Again let me say that Jan and I greatly appreciate your
invitation for a visit in August, and I do wish that it were
possible for us to be there this year. Perhaps in another year
or so we will at last make it.
Sincerely,

Dan [handwritten signature]

Daniel J. Meador
DJM/ebg