Title: Autograph Letter Signed by Senator Reverdy Johnson with Good Political Content - Advocating for General George Mcclellan in Opposition to Lincoln.
Description: Saratoga Springs, [NY]: September 14, 1864. 1864. - Approximately 107 words penned on three sides of a sheet of creamy white paper folded in half to 8 inch highes by 5 inches wide. Dated September 14, 1864 from Saratoga Springs and signed "Reverdy Johnson". Folded three times horizontally for mailing. A piece has been cut out of the last page next to Johnson's signature. One can easily speculate that the recipient of the letter excised his own name for privacy reasons before disposing of the letter. Very good.
Reverdy Johnson begins by responding to an apparent request for information regarding a previous appropriation. He suggests that "Dr. Stephenson [John G. Stephenson, the Librarian of Congress] will no doubt, if you request it, send you a copy.." He then goes on to discuss the upcoming November 8 presidential election. "I sincerely hope for Gen'l McClellans Election, but I am not as confident of it, as some of his friends." He suggests that the incompetence of the Lincoln administration "will be hard to overcome." He concludes that the upcoming state elections "will go far to tell the result in advance."
The powerful 19th century lawyer Reverdy Johnson (1796-1876) served as the US Attorney General (1849-1850) and twice as US Senator from Maryland (1845-49, 1863-68). He is remembered for his defense of the slave holder John Sandford in the Dred Scott case. He argued that slaves were private property that was protected by the Constitution. Reverdy Johnson had always been a foe of Lincoln and his administration. In the months leading up to Lincoln's reelection in 1864 he wrote a number of vitriolic letters attacking Lincoln. One of the letters was well publicized and drew an "Observers" response in the November 9, 1864 issue of the New York Times attacking the aristocracy of the Democratic party. "For forty years, what is called the Democratic Party of this country, has been engaged in a persistent effort to sustain an aristocracy.. The Democratic Party allied itself to the Southern aristocracy, and maintained its supremacy by using the concentrated power (in electoral votes) of that aristocracy against Northern republicanism. Very good .
Keywords: AMERICANA; REVERDY JOHNSON; AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; U.S. SENATOR; SIGNATURE; SARATOGA SPRINGS; CIVIL WAR PERIOD; GENERAL GEORGE MCCLELLAND; OPPOSITION TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN ADMINISTRATION; NINETEENTH CENTURY; 19TH CENTURY; MARYLAND
- Book number: 96302
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