Gerald H. Robinson collection on Wayne Morse's political career, 1947-1974

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Robinson, Gerald H., 1927-
Title
Gerald H. Robinson collection on Wayne Morse's political career
Dates
1947-1974 (inclusive)
1967-1974 (bulk)
Quantity
3.69 cubic feet, (5 document cases; 4 flat boxes (13x16))
Collection Number
Mss 2595
Summary
Papers and election data relating to the political campaigns of U.S. Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon, particularly his 1968 run for re-election and the subsequent recount. The materials were compiled, and some created, by Gerald H. Robinson, an attorney and photographer from Portland, Oregon. Robinson worked for Morse as an advisor and attorney.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Gerald H. Robinson (1927-2020) was an attorney and photographer from Portland, Oregon. He worked as an attorney and advisor for U.S. Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Wayne Lyman Morse was born in 1900 in Verona, Wisconsin. He came to Oregon in 1929 and began teaching law at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Two years later, he was named dean of the law school, becoming the youngest head of a law school in the United States. During the 1930s, he acted as a labor mediator in shipping and dockworking negotiations. In 1944, he ran for the United States Senate and won. Although he ran as a Republican, Morse quickly established a reputation as a maverick, often voting with the Democrats. In 1952, he left the Republican party in protest of the Eisenhower-Nixon platform, which he believed had been hijacked by the party's reactionary wing. He served as an independent for over two years before becoming a Democrat.

Morse was reelected in 1956 and 1962. His opposition to the Vietnam War led him to support Republican Mark Hatfield, who was also a critic of America's involvement in Vietnam, in the 1966 Senate race. In 1968, Morse narrowly lost to Republican Bob Packwood in an election that concluded with a recount.

Morse spent much of the rest of his life attempting to regain his Senate seat. In 1972, he unsuccessfully ran against Mark Hatfield. At the time of his death in 1974, he was running against Bob Packwood.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The bulk of the collection consists of papers either created by or related to Gerald Robinson that concern the election campaigns of Senator Wayne Morse, particularly Morse's 1968 re-election campaign and the subsequent recount. Materials include correspondence, much of which is either to or from Robinson; administrative records; and printouts of election results. Other papers of note relate to Morse's 1960 presidential campaign; Morse's Senate campaigns in 1962, 1972, and 1974; and financial records relating to Bob Packwood's 1974 Senate campaign.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Collection was titled Gerald H. Robinson papers prior to October 2019.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Gerald H. Robinson collection on Wayne Morse's political career, Mss 2595, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series: Series 1. Pre-1968 election papers; Series 2. 1968 re-election campaign records; Series 3. 1968 election recount records; Series 4. Election law and political papers, 1968-1972; Series 5. 1972 election campaign records; Series 6. Post-1972 election campaign papers.

Acquisition Information

Gifts of Gerald H. Robinson, May 1980 and February 1984 (Lib. Accs. 15119 and 16689).

Related Materials

Art photography by Robinson is held at the University of Oregon Libraries in Eugene, Oregon.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Pre-1968 election campaign papers, 1947-1962Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Correspondence from Wayne Morse
1947-1955
1 2
Correspondence to Wayne Morse
1955
1 3
Wayne Morse speeches
1955
1 4
Morse presidential campaign records
1960
1 5
Morse 1962 campaign correspondence
1962
1 6
Clippings and bulletins relating to Morse 1962 campaign
1962
1 7
Morse 1962 campaign pamphlets
1962

Series 2:  1968 re-election campaign records, 1967-1970Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 8-13
Contributor correspondence
1967 March-1968 November
1 14
Abstracts of votes from primary election
1968
1 15-16
Correspondence from Joyce Curtis to Charles Books concerning contributors
1967-1968
1 17
Council for a Livable World records; records concerning contributors
1967-1968
1 18
Attorneys for Morse Committee name lists and correspondence
1967 December-1968
1 19
Attorneys for Morse Committee respondents, surnames A-F
1968
1 20
Attorneys for Morse Committee respondents, surnames G-P
1968
1 21
Attorneys for Morse Committee respondents, surnames R-W
1968
2 1
Public opinion survey prior to primary election
1967 October-1968 May
2 2
Public opinion survey prior to general election
1968 September
2 3
Contracts
1968
2 4
Financial records
1968
2 5
Morse's general correspondence
1967-1968
2 6
Morse newsletter
1968
2 7-8
Correspondence
1967 July-1970 February
2 9
News releases
1967-1968
6
Bound volume of election printouts for Clackamas County; Benton County; Clatsop County; Columbia County; Coos County; Curry County
1968
6
Loose general election printouts for Marion County; printout of ballot statistics for 1968 general election
1968
7
Bound volume of election printouts for Malheur County; Linn County; Lincoln County; Lane County; Lake County; Klamath County; Josephine County; Jefferson County; Jackson County; Hood River County; Grant County; Gilliam County
1968
8
Bound volume of election printouts for Yamhill County; Morrow County; Polk County; Sherman County; Tillamook County; Umatilla County; Union County; Wallowa County; Wasco County; Washington County; Wheeler County
1968
9
Abstracts of general election vote, Multnomah County
1968
9
Combined district printouts
1968
9
Summary printout
1968
9
Partial county total
1968
9
Deschutes District
1968
9
Multnomah District
1968
9
Assorted county printouts
1968

Series 3:  1968 election recount records, 1968Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 1
Statewide totals and county profiles
1968
3 2
Poll book data
1968
3 3
Benton County
1968
3 4-5
Clackamas County
1968
3 6
Clatsop County
1968
3 7
Columbia County
1968
3 8
Coos County
1968
3 9
Crook County
1968
3 10
Curry County
1968
3 11
Douglas County
1968
3 12
Gilliam County
1968
3 13
Grant County
1968
3 14
Harney County
1968
3 15
Jackson County
1968
3 16
Josephine County
1968
3 17
Lake County
1968
3 18
Lane County
1968
3 19
Lane County (primary election)
1968
3 20
Linn County
1968
3 21
Malheur County
1968
3 22
Marion County
1968
3 23
Multnomah County
1968
3 24
Union County
1968
3 25
Wasco County
1968
3 26
Washington County
1968
3 27
Wheeler County
1968
3 27
Absentee votes
1968
4 1
Notes, correspondence, records, and photographs regarding corrupt campaign practices and misleading signs in Packwood campaign
1968
4 2
Records from court case, John Allen v. Clay Myers
1968

Series 4:  Election law and political papers, 1968-1972Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Oregon election law reform
1969
Box Folder
4 3
Correspondence
1969 January-December
4 4
Articles and research
1969
4 5
House Committee on Elections records
1969
4 6
Newspaper clippings
1969
Subseries 2: Other papers
1968-1972
Box Folder
4 7
Miscellaneous papers on Democratic Party solidarity
1969-1970
4 8
Correspondence
1968 August-1970 August
4 9
Newspaper clippings
1969-1971
4 10
Correspondence concerning appointment of Judge Phillip Roth
1971
4 11
Manuscript, "Parochialism and Professionalism in Congressional Election," by David Mervin
1972

Series 5:  1972 election campaign records, 1971-1972Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
4 12
Organization
1972
4 13
Organization and strategy
1972
4 14
Itineraries
1971 May-1972 September
4 15
Expenditures
1971-1972
4 16
Memos
1971 July-1972 October
4 17
Correspondence
1971 May-1972 September
5 1
Correspondence
1972 October-1973 January
5 2
Polls and surveys
1972
5 3
Duncan and Morgan voting survey
1972
5 4
Platform
1971-1972
5 5-6
Newspaper clippings
1971-1972
5 7
Campaign flyers, stationery, and other ephemera
1972

Series 6:  Post-1972 election campaign papers, 1974Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
5 8
1974 Morse campaign proposal
1974
5 9
1974 Morse campaign correspondence
1974
5 10
Newspaper clippings concerning 1974 Morse campaign
1974
5 11
Statements of contributions and expenditures for 1974 Morse campaign
1974
5 12
Expenditures for 1974 Morse campaign
1974
5 13
Lists of Portland donors to 1974 Morse campaign
1974
5 14
Receipts and expenditures report for Bob Packwood campaign
1974

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Elections--Oregon
  • Elections--Statistics
  • Political Campaigns--Oregon

Personal Names

  • Morse, Wayne L. (Wayne Lyman), 1900-1974
  • Robinson, Gerald H., 1927-

Geographical Names

  • Oregon--Politics and government--20th century

Form or Genre Terms

  • Clippings (information artifacts)
  • Correspondence