James Buchanan 15th POTUS Autograph Letter SIGNED 1853 withEnvel. POLITICAL topic

A handwritten letter dated May 3, 1853 from James Buchanan, four years before he became the 15th President of the United States. Baker, in San Francisco, California. The letter is written in pen on a piece of paper measuring about 9 3/4" x 15 1/4", folded in half to make four sides, each measuring about 9 3/4" x 7 11/16". The text covers all four sides. This letter comes with the original stamped envelope, which is postmarked Lancaster, PA, May 4 and has a red wax seal on the back. The letter was written from Buchanan's estate, Wheatland, near Lancaster, PA, during a roughly four-year period when he held no political office. Around three months after this letter was sent, Buchanan became the United States' Minister to the United Kingdom (a possibility mentioned in this letter). A little over four years later, he would become President. The letter is a window into pre-Civil War politics, especially in California, and drops many names. The general subject is Buchanan's account of his attempts to arrange a patronage appointment in California for George Baker, which were dashed by the California delegation in Congress.

The California delegation (Buchanan explained) was upset that Baker had run against the Democratic candidate in a local election. The legislators met with President Franklin Pierce and persuaded the President not to go through with the appointment. Buchanan offered a general observation that he had been most laboriously engaged in endeavoring to obtain offices for my friends; in which, however, I have not been very successful. This example is superior, however.

It comes with the original stamped, postmarked envelope. It is lengthy (four handwritten sides) and detailed. It concerns a political issue--specifically attempts to have then-President Franklin Pierce appoint a crony (George Baker) to a patronage position. Buchanan also muses over whether he will accept the post of Minister to England (which he did, shortly thereafter). Wheatland, near Lancaster, 3 May 1853.

& Kate Reynolds will give you the interesting news; but I feel it to be proper that I should inform you what occurred in regard to Mr. Baker's application for office. Judge Campbell interested himself warmly in his favor & made every effort to procure him an office. He so far accomplished the purpose that the President agreed to appoint him Surveyor of the Port, observing that it would afford him pleasure to appoint a connexion of mine to this office. The nomination was to be sent to the Senate the next day, but in the ean tie, by some means, the California Delegation got notice of the President's intention & waited upon him in a Body & protested against the appointment on the ground that it would have a most prejudicial effect to appoint a gentleman who had run for Recorder of San Francisco against & defeated the Select Democratic ticket at the last election.

The President yielded & Mr. This is the true history. Welles was anxious, I think, to serve Mr. I had some correspondence with him on the subject. His first letter of the 14th February did not give me much encouragement.

He wrote, however, on the 19th Feb. & I make the following extract from his letter; -- Your letter of the 17th Inst. I have already a number of letters from prominent members of the Democratic Party in California recommending Mr. Baker for naval office in San Francisco, so that all of his friends who desire his appointment should, in my opinion, act at once. We have some three or four applicants for this place now here and they are pressing their claims assiduously. Welles again on the 7th March; but have not heard from him since. I repeat, that nothing defeated Mr. Baker, but the unanimous & strong opposition of the California Delegation in Congress against his appointment. His friends in this region, & especially Judge Campbell, did their duty to him. I ought to add, that after his defeat, they were willing he should be appointed Naval Storekeeper but Judge Campbell said he would not accept such an office for him. Gwin was anxious that the office should be tendered to him when. He might decide for himself. When I was in Washington, in the beginning of April, I suggested to Judge Campbell, that he had probably better act upon Dr. Whether he has done so or not, I do not know. It is proper to state that Dr.

Gwin always professed friendship for Mr. Baker, & placed his opposition solely on the ground of public opinion in California arising from his course in regard to the Recorder's election.

He said, but for this, he might have obtained any office in the State which he desired. Under all the circumstances it is probably best that both Mr. Baker & yourself should say as little about his disappointment as possible. I have most reluctantly agreed to accept the mission to England. Still I do not consider it by any means absolutely certain that I shall go.

This will depend upon events which have not yet transpired. If I should not decline the appointment, I ewxpect to leave New York about the end of June. Miss Hetty I myself have been jogging along in the old fashion at Wheatland during the winter.

For two months after you left, I was most laboriously engaged in endeavoring to obtain offices for my friends; in which, however. I have not been very successful.

We are all rejoiced to learn that you are happy inh California. I shall be glad to know that the box which Mr. Belmont forwarded has safely arrived. My old friends are fast going to their long home. I felt the loss of Col.

Our friendship was that of attached brothers; & in a long series of years no leprous? Cloud had ever obscured it for a single moment. My old & valued friend Mr.

Elder of Harrisburg die on Friday last; I attended his funeral on Sunday. I see Kate Reynolds occasionally & you are always freshly remembered by her.

Mazes, -- the mother of Serena is dead; & the latter has since been quite ill. I believe she is now considered out of danger. Jessie & her children went yesterday to Mr. Rambo's, Kinzer's old stand on the Race Road.

I know of no local news which would interest you. I should be glad you would not mention to any person except himself that I have written or what I have written about Mr. Baker's disappointment; but I thought you yourselves ought to know the truth. With my best regards for Mr. Baker, & with sentiment of warm attachment for yourself & an ardent desire that you may be prosperous & happy, I remain yours affectionately.

From Wikipedia: James Buchanan Jr. (1791 - 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvania in both houses of the U.

He was an advocate for states' rights, particularly regarding slavery, and minimized the role of the federal government preceding the Civil War. Buchanan was the last president born in the 18th century. Buchanan was a prominent lawyer in Pennsylvania and won his first election to the state's House of Representatives as a Federalist.

He was elected to the U. House of Representatives in 1820 and retained that post for five terms, aligning with Andrew Jackson's Democratic Party. Buchanan served as Jackson's minister to Russia in 1832. He won the election in 1834 as a U. Senator from Pennsylvania and continued in that position for 11 years.

He was appointed to serve as President James K. Polk's secretary of state in 1845, and eight years later was named as President Franklin Pierce's minister to the United Kingdom. Beginning in 1844, Buchanan became a regular contender for the Democratic party's presidential nomination. He was finally nominated in 1856, defeating incumbent Franklin Pierce and Senator Stephen A. Douglas at the Democratic National Convention. He benefited from the fact that he had been out of the country as ambassador in London and had not been involved in slavery issues. Buchanan and running mate John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky carried every slave state except Maryland, defeating anti-slavery Republican John C. Frémont and Know-Nothing former president Millard Fillmore to win the 1856 presidential election. As President, Buchanan intervened to assure the Supreme Court's majority ruling in the pro-slavery decision in the Dred Scott case. He acceded to Southern attempts to engineer Kansas' entry into the Union as a slave state under the Lecompton Constitution, and angered not only Republicans but also Northern Democrats. Buchanan honored his pledge to serve only one term and supported Breckinridge's unsuccessful candidacy in the 1860 presidential election. He failed to reconcile the fractured Democratic party amid the grudge against Stephen Douglas, leading to the election of Republican and former Congressman Abraham Lincoln. Buchanan's leadership during his lame duck period, before the American Civil War, has been widely criticized. He simultaneously angered the North by not stopping secession and the South by not yielding to their demands. He supported the ineffective Corwin Amendment in an effort to reconcile the country. He made an unsuccessful attempt to reinforce Fort Sumter, but otherwise refrained from preparing the military. His failure to forestall the Civil War has been described as incompetence, and he spent his last years defending his reputation. In his personal life, Buchanan never married and was the only U.

President to remain a lifelong bachelor, leading some historians and authors to question his sexual orientation. Buchanan died of respiratory failure in 1868 and was buried in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he had lived for nearly 60 years.

Historians and scholars often rank Buchanan as the worst president in American history. Our father was a bibliophile who collected rare books, letters, and ephemera for more than 60 years.

For now and into the foreseeable future, we will be listing rare paper items from his estate. Take a look at all our items for sale. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Autographs\Political\Presidential". The seller is "donephemera" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.

Industry: Presidential
President: James Buchanan
Signed by: James Buchanan
Autograph Type: Autograph Letter Signed
Signed: Yes
Autograph: Authentic Original