LINCOLNANA
HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT WAR DATE LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LETTER APPOINTING AN
“ACTING SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR”
LINCOLN,
ABRAHAM. Presidential Ms.L.S., 4to, Executive Mansion, Washington City, July 19,
1862, appointing Walter J. Smith acting Secretary of the Interior in the absence of the Secretary and Asst. Secretary. Pristine. Matted with 8vo engraving of Lincoln in rust mats with gold filet liners. Framed in gold and black frame. Overall size: 22" x 15.5". Lincoln presidential letters are rather scarce. This item is a museum quality piece because it is a cabinet appointment, albeit temporarily, and is therefore historically significant. Net.. .[11082] ..$17,500.00
UNPUBLISHED AND HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT LINCOLN ANS REGARDING THE RESIGNATIONS FROM HIS CABINET OF SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY SALMON P. CHASE AND SECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM H. SEWARD DATED DECEMBER 18, 1862
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM
(1809-1865); sixteenth president (1861-65). ANS on small heavy card: "That committee has not come. A. Lincoln. Dec. 18, 1862". Light, uneven age toning; all the writing is dark. A clean, fresh example.On December 16, 1862, Secretary of State William H. Seward tendered a brief letter of resignation to President Lincoln. On Dec. 18, 1862 Senator Jacob Collamer1 wrote Lincoln that "A Committee of the Republican Senators desire an interview with the President at as early an hour this evening as may suit his convenience." The reason Collamer requested the meeting was to discuss the resignation of Secretary Seward. Lincoln replied to Collamer: "Executive Mansion, Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 1862, Hon. Jacob Collamer, My dear Sir: I will see the committee named, at 7PM to-day. A. Lincoln." Evidently the committee was late, or did not appear, because Lincoln penned with obvious pique this note on a small card "That Committee has not come. A. Lincoln., Dec. 18, 1862" and undoubtedly sent it by messenger to Collamer, as was customary in his day. (Lincoln's referenced note to Collamer {the ANS offered here} is not published in the multi-volume "Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln/ The Abraham Lincoln Assn., Springfield, Ill., Ray P. Basler, Editor, Marion Dolores Pratt & Lloyd A. Dunlap, Asst. Editors, Rutgers U. Press, New Brunswick, N.J., 1953).
The turmoil in Lincoln's cabinet continued and on Dec. 20th Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase tendered his letter of resignation to Lincoln. On the same day Chase resigned, Lincoln wrote him a brief note: "Secretary of the Treasury, please do not go out of town. A. Lincoln. Dec. 20, 1862" to which Chase replied: "I intended going to Philadelphia this afternoon, but shall, of course, observe your 'direction' not to leave town. Will you allow me to say that something you said or looked, when I handed you my resignation this morning, made on my mind the impression that, having received the resignations both of Gov. Seward and myself, you felt you could relieve yourself from trouble by declining to accept either and that the feeling was one of gratification. Let me assure you few things could give me so much satisfaction as to promote in any way your comfort, especially if I might promote at the same time the success of your administration, and the good of the country which is so near your heart. But I am very far from desiring you to decline accepting my resignation - very far from thinking, indeed, that its non-acceptance and my continuance in the Treasury Department will be most for your comfort or further benefit of the country. On the contrary I could not if I would conceal from myself that recent events have too rudely jostled the unity of your cabinet and disclosed an opinion too deeply seated and too generally received in Congress & the Country to be safely disregarded that the concord in judgment and action essential to successful administration does not prevail among its members. By some the embarrassment of administration is attributed to
me; by others to Mr. Seward; by others, still to other Heads of Departments. Now neither Mr. Seward nor myself is essential to you or to the Country; we both earnestly wish to be relieved from the oppressive charge of our respective Departments; and we both have placed our resignations in your hands. A resignation is a grave act; never perform-ed by a right minded man without forethought or with reserve. I tendered mine from a sense of duty to the country, to you, and to myself--and I tendered it to be accepted. So did, as you have been fully assured, Mr. Seward tender his. I trust therefore that you will regard yourself as completely relieved from all personal considerations. It is my honest judgment that we can both better serve you and the country at this time, as private citizens, than in your cabinet...." Later that day, Dec. 20, 1862, after receiving Chase's resignation and reply to his request not to go out of town, President Lincoln wrote the same letter to both Seward and Chase: "Executive Mansion, Washington, December 20. 1862. Hon. William H. Seward & Hon. Salmon P. Chase. Gentlemen: You have respectively tendered me your resignations, as Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. I am apprised of the circumstances which may render this course personally desirable to each of you; but after most anxious consideration, my deliberate judgment is, that the public interest does not admit it. I therefore have to request that you will resume the duties of your Departments respectively. Your Obt. Servt. A. Lincoln". The crisis was averted by Lincoln's letter to Seward & Chase. On December 21, Seward wrote, "I have cheerfully resumed the functions of this Department in obedience to your command." Chase, however, had the last word and replied on December 22, as follows: "On Saturday afternoon I received your note addressed to Mr. Seward and myself desiring us to resume the charge of our respective Departments. I had just written you a letter expressing quite another judgment; and that you may fully understand my sentiments I now send it to you. Your note, of course, required me to re-consider my views; and the next [sic] a further reason for reconsideration was furnished by the receipt from Mr. Seward of a copy of his reply to a note from you, identical with that sent to me, announcing his resumption of the duties of the State Department. I cannot say that reflection has much if at all changed my original impress-ions; but it has led me to the conclusion that I ought, in this matter, to conform my action to your judgment and wishes. I shall resume, therefore, my post as Secretary of the Treasury; ready, however, at any moment, to
resign
it, if in your judgment, the success of your administration may be, in the
slightest degree, promoted." Net to all.
............[11041]..........$15,000
1.
Jacob Collamer (1792-1865) (Rep. VT.). He served in the U.S. House of Rep. (1843-49); U.S. Senate (1855-1865). He was a Whig between 1843-49 and a Republican between 1855-65. He served as Postmaster General under Zachary Taylor but resigned upon his death along with his entire cabinet. During the Lincoln administration, he served on the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads. Earlier, he had served on the Supreme Court of Vermont.
LINCOLN DOCUMENT SIGNED ON MARCH 3, 1863, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CONTROVERSIAL DAYS OF HIS PRESIDENCY: THE DAY ON WHICH HE SUSPENDED THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS AND SIGNED THE FIRST CONSCRIPTION ACT.
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM. DS, oblong folio, March 3, 1863; appointment for Lewis Peck as "Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Twenty Fifth Collection District of the
State of New York." Co-signed by Salmon P. Chase1 as Secretary of the Treasury. The document is pristine. Has light scattered foxing. The signature of Lincoln is perhaps the darkest one we have ever seen. A gem. An uncommon type Lincoln document. .....[10748]... .........$13,750.00
1 (Lincoln appointed Chase Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1864.)
NB On March 3, 1863, unquestionably one of the most controversial of Lincoln's presidency, he suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus, signed the first Conscription Act, signed a bill creating the Territory of Idaho, signed the 1863 Judiciary Act and vetoed the amended Navy Bill.
"THE NATIONAL SACRIFICE"A STRANGE PROPHETIC SERMON PREACHED APRIL 9, 1865
(LINCOLNANA). The strangely prophetic sermon preached by the Reverend Treadwell on Sunday Evening, April 9, 1865, being the Sunday following the capture of Richmond, and preceding the death of the President. The Scriptural basis of the sermon was John 12:49 "It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." Also contains the text of his sermon "delivered on Easter morning, April 16, 1865, the day after the intelligence was received of the President's assassination" as well as a sermon "Delivered on Wednesday, April 19, 1865, at noon, at the Funeral Service held in unison with the solemnities of the same hour, in the national capital." The April 19th sermon begins: "We are attending the funeral of the President of the United States. This
service, in this crowded church, is as much his funeral service as that immense ceremonial attended by multitudes in the capital of the nation, immediately around his body... It is among the most touching of the circumstances attending his death, that it has occurred so instantly after his success had been achieved, and before the well-earned compensation had come for so much labor, anxiety, patience, and courage...". Pamphlet, 8vo, 41pp., "The National Sacrifice"/ A Sermon/ Preached on the Sunday Before the/ DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT/ and/ Two Addresses,/ on the Sunday and Wednesday Following, in/ St. Clement's Church, Philadelphia,/ By the/ Rev. Treadwell Walden/ The Rector/ Philadelphia:/ Sermon & Co., Printers,/ 1865. A scarce & desirable
imprint. ....[6478]. ..........$395.00
(LINCOLN, ABRAHAM). Life mask of Lincoln made from
original mold, circa 
1860,
11.5" tall by 10.5" wide and 7.5" deep, made from plaster
with faux bronze finish. Shows a beardless Lincoln. Has hanger for
display. Desirable piece of Lincoln memorabilia. This is quite a striking
display piece. It never fails to get much comment in the gallery, where we
have it displayed......Net............[8054].
.......$1500.00
CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF LINCOLN’S GETTYSBURG ADDRESS WITH TWO PAGES ILLUSTRATING THE DEDICATION CEREMONY WITH AN EYEWITNESS REPORT OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
(LINCOLN, ABRAHAM).
“Frank
Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper”, 12 pp., 11.5”x16”, Dec. 5, 1863
issue. Contains war news &
skillful drawings of the War in Virginia (Kelly’s Ford on the
Rappahannock), South Carolina (Ft. Sumpter) Texas (Brownsville), Texas
(Matamoras), Texas (Interior of Matamoras). The center section of the
paper is entitled “The Consecration of the Great National Cemetery near
Gettysburg, Thursday, Nov. l9, by Abraham Lincoln, President of the United
States, & his cabinet, from sketches by our Special Artist Joseph
Becker. Sketches show Union
soldier’s grave, Town of Gettysburg, Rebel Graves, Meade’s
Headquarters, Round Top Mountain & the Dedication Ceremony.
The drawings are of extremely fine quality & suitable for
framing. On p. 9 is an article about “the Gettysburg
Celebration” which gives a verbatim eye witness account of Lincoln’s
immortal address. The great
battlefield of Pennsylvania was dedicated with appropriate &
impressive ceremonies…on the 19th of November…Thousands from all parts
assembled on the invitation of the Governor of Pennsylvania & 18 other
loyal states…the day was lovely; the sky-unclouded…at 10 o’clock the
procession moved to the cemetery, where a stand had been erected on the
highest point. On the stand
soon appeared the President, Hon. Edward Everett, Orator of the day, the
Governors, Generals & Officers./The ceremonies began with a prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Stockton, Chaplain of the House of Representatives.
The Hon. Edward then delivered his address, one of those classic
eloquent orations which have no equal in this country.
Recalling the honors paid by Athea’s to her fallen brave…&
the importance to all of the great battle & a highly
wrought account of the great battle itself.
At the close President Lincoln addressed the assembly.
The interesting & historically significant thing about the eye
witness reporters following verbatim account of the address is that this
reported version is vastly different from the commonly accepted version
today. Did Lincoln ad lib from
his text or did the reporter taken down the speech incorrectly?
Further research is warranted but in either case this is indeed a
historically significant account of perhaps the most famous address in our
history & one of the most famous of all time:
“Four
score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a
new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that
all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war,
testing whether this nation, or any nation so conceived so dedicated, can
endure. We are met on a great
battle-field of that war. We
are met to dedicate it on a portion of the field, set apart, as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives for the nation’s life,
but the nation must live that we should do this. In a larger sense, we can
not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground in
reality the number of men, the brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to
add or detract attempts to aid in its consecration.
The world will little know and nothing remember of what we see
here, but we cannot forget what these brave men did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly
advanced. It is rather for us
to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from
these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”.
The paper contains much other interesting news, e.g., “The Welcome Home of Henry Ward Beecher (from his trip to Europe) with drawings of Beecher, Plymouth Church, Brooklyn & the Sabbath Welcome Home Reception, an article about the violence of the California Gold Mines, etc. The paper has been removed from a bound volume with a diagonal vertical crease in the paper but no paper loss. Normal minor border nicks not touching text. Overall a clean in-tact copy. This is one of the earliest reported versions of the Gettysburg Address and perhaps the most profusely illustrated account. Historically significant. A gem. Suitable for display. [12284] $2500.00
LINCOLN'S FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
HAMLIN, HANNIBAL. (VICE PRESIDENT)
(1809-91). Lincoln's First Vice President (1861-65). He was also in the U.S.
Senate and Governor of Maine. ALS, 8vo, 2pp., Wash., Feb. 5,
1877, letter regarding his appointment of a Commission 
to
reform the Game & Fish laws of Maine. Mentions he has conferred with Mr.
(James G.) Blaine, future Secty. of State, presidential candidate, and Speaker
of U.S. House of Reps. Tip of two corners missing. Old repair on blank bottom
of 2nd page, else a clean, fine example............[11052].............$395.00
Gideon Welles letter to the President Submitting a Commission for the Colorful Civil War Naval Officer Homer C. Blake
WELLES, GIDEON
(NAVY) (1802-78). Lincoln's &
Johnson's Secretary of the Navy (1861-69). Ms.L.S., 4to, Navy
Dept., Washington, 17 April, 1866, to "The President" (Andrew
Johnson). In full: "Sir, I have the honor to submit herewith for
your signature a Commission for Homer C. Blake(*) to be a Commander in the
Navy, prepared agreeably to the confirmation by the Senate, I am Sir, Very R
espectfully
(signed) Gideon Welles". Tip of one corner missing, else
pristine. ............[11049].......$795.00
*Homer Crane Blake (1822-80). Colorful Naval officer. Served on the "Constellation", "Preble", "St. Lawrence", and during the Civil War he served on the "Sabine" (1861-62) of the home squadron. He was made Lt. Commander and given command of the "Hatteras" and while anchored off Galveston, Texas, was ordered to chase a suspicious vessel, which proved to be the Confederate cruiser "Alabama". After a short action, Blake was forced to surrender as the "Hatteras" was disabled and sinking. Blake was arrested and taken to Jamaica but was soon exchanged. From 1863-65 he commanded the Union ship "Utah" of the N. American blockading squadron. In 1864 he shelled three divisions of the Confederate Army on the James and assisted in repelling an attack on the Army of the James on Jan. 23, 1865. He was made commander of Navy March 3, 1866 about which the aforementioned Welles letter concerns. He later became a commodore.