Extremely rare DS as president, one page, 16.5 x 12.5, March 10, 1881. President Garfield appoints “Robert S. Taylor of Indiana … to be a Member of the Commission for the Improvement of the Mississippi.” Signed at the conclusion by Garfield and countersigned by Secretary of State James Blaine. Double matted and framed with a steel engraved portrait of Garfield, to an overall size of 33 x 22. The Mississippi River Commission was established by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1879. Congress charged the Commission with the mission to develop plans to improve the condition of the Mississippi River, foster navigation, promote commerce, and prevent destructive floods—perhaps the most difficult and complex engineering problem ever undertaken by the federal government up to that time. Intersecting folds, one through Garfield’s last name, two tiny spots, and some light mirroring of text to lower left portion, otherwise fine condition. Noted expert Kenneth Rendell remarks in his book History Comes to Life that documents signed by Garfield as president are extremely rare and that Garfield “is second only to William Henry Harrison in rarity of signed material during his presidency.” Only the second Garfield presidential document we have ever offered. Garfield died just 200 days into his presidency, and during the eighty days between his shooting and death, his only official act was to sign an extradition paper, making this a presidential item of the utmost rarity! Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA. Oversized .
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