  The following correct forms of address are believed to conform to the recognized custom, as indorsed by official, social, and scholarly sources of authority. Most of the examples are from Westlake’s “How to Write Letters,” but some are from Harper’s Cyclopedia: Army Officers. See Military, Colonel, etc. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, or of the supreme court of any state. To Honorable John Brown, justice. Sir: Assistant Secretaries of Federal departments, heads of bureaus, etc. To John Brown, Esq., secretary of state. Sir: Bishop. Except in the case of Methodists address a bishop as the Right Reverend John Brown. Salutation—Right Reverend Sir: or Right Reverend and Dear Sir: Board of Education, Board of Trade, etc. To the President and Members of the ——. Sirs: or Honorable Sirs: or May it Please Your Honorable Body. Other organizations of similar character are addressed after this style. Cabinet Members. To the Honorable E.M. Stanton, secretary of war. Another form is Honorable E.M. Stanton. The salutation is simply Sir: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. To the Honorable Joseph McKenna, chief justice of the Supreme Court, or To the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Sir: or Mr. Chief Justice: College Presidents. Either Dear Sir: or Reverend and Dear Sir: as the case may be. Company, President of. John Jones, president of the North German Cracker Company. Sir: or Dear Sir: Court or Judge. Honorable Thomas F. Graham, judge of the Superior Court. Sir: Dear Sir: or Your Honor: Dentists. Doctor John Brown. Sir: or Dear Sir: Excellency. Excellency, Your Excellency, His Excellency, etc., were formerly applied to the President, but now such use is wrong. Foreign ministers and governors are addressed as Excellency. General. General John Brown, commanding the armies of the U.S. General: or Sir: The former is preferred. Governor of a State. To His Excellency Governor George C. Pardee, Governor of the State of California, or His Excellency Governor George C. Pardee. Sir: or Your Excellency: Foreign Ministers. To His Excellency Edward Everett, Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of St. James. Your Excellency: or Sir: Heads of State Departments, Members of State Senates, etc. Honorable John Brown, Attorney General, etc. Sir: House of Representatives. To the Honorable the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir: or Mr. Speaker: Honorable. This title is applicable to judges, mayors, senators, representatives in Congress, the heads of government departments and others of similar rank below that of governor or President. It is improper to thus designate the chiefs of bureaus, and other subordinates. In official communications the official designation only should be employed. Judges in General. Honorable John Brown. Sir: Dear Sir: Justice of the Peace. John Brown, Esq. Dear Sir: Mayor. Honorable John Brown, Mayor of ——. Sir: or Your Honor: Navy Officers. Admiral Bowman McCalla, Commanding U.S.N. Sir: Commodores and others are addressed similarly, changing title to suit the office. Mr. and Esq. These terms are somewhat interchangeable in America, but an ignorant man should not be addressed as Esq. It is proper to confine the title to persons of refinement. My Dear Sir. This implies closer friendship than Dear Sir. Miss. Miss Clara Barton. Dear Madam: or Dear Miss: or Miss Barton: Mrs. May be used, contrary to views expressed elsewhere in this volume, before such titles as Mrs. General Sheridan, Mrs. Admiral Porter. This custom has the sanction of good usage at the National Capital, though critics condemn it. Mrs. Do not address a married woman as Mrs. Jane Smith. Address her as Mrs. Erastus Smith if Erastus is her husband’s name. Mr. Mr. is sometimes used before such titles as President, Chief Justice, Attorney General, etc. President of a Board of Education, Directors, Commissions, etc. To John Brown, Esq., President of ——. Sir: President of the Senate. To Honorable John Brown, President of the Senate of the U.S. Sir: or Honorable Sir: President of the U.S. To the President, Washington, D.C., or To the President, Executive Mansion, Washington, D.C. Salutation is Sir: or Mr. President: Omit all further ceremony. Professor. This title is conferred by election or by courtesy to men of just scholarship. The title should not be applied to barbers, horse trainers, dancing teachers and like persons. Reverend. Always write the before the title Reverend. Never use Rev. immediately before the surname. ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY.The Pope. To Our Most Holy Father, Pope Pius IX:, or To His Holiness Pope Pius IX. Most Holy Father:, or Your Holiness: Catholics write at the end of the letter: Prostrate at the feet of Your Holiness, and begging the Apostolic Benediction, I protest myself now and at all times to be of Your Holiness the most obedient son, JOHN BROWN. Those who are not Catholics should trust to good sense to conclude respectfully. Cardinals. To His Eminence Cardinal Brown, Bishop of ——: or To His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Brown. Most Eminent Sir: or Most Eminent and Most Reverend Sir: Conclude thus: Of Your Eminence the most obedient and most humble servant; or, I have the honor to remain, Most Eminent Sir, with profound respect your obedient and humble servant. Archbishop. Most Reverend Archbishop Riordan, or Most Reverend John Brown, Archbishop of ——. Most Reverend and Respected Sir:, or Most Reverend and Dear Sir: Conclude thus: Most Reverend Sir, or Most Reverend Archbishop, or Most Reverend and Dear Sir, Your obedient servant. Most Reverend and Dear Sir: should be used by a clergyman or a friend only. Bishop. Right Reverend John Brown, Bishop of ——. Right Reverend Sir: Conclude: I have the honor to remain, Right Reverend Sir, Your obedient servant. Women Superiors. Mother Angelica, Superior of ——. (Sisters of Charity.) Priests. See Rector, etc. Legal Titles. Members of the bar should always be addressed with Esq. following their names. State Legislatures. Same as the houses of Congress, except the name and the phrase, in Congress assembled. Senate of the United States. To the Honorable the Senate of the United States in Congress assembled. Honorable Sirs: or May It Please Your Honorable Body: or The Honorable Senate: Vice President. To the Honorable Henry Wilson, Vice President of the U.S., or (unofficial) Honorable Henry Wilson. Sir: |
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