LS signed as President of the United States in Congress Assembled, “Tho M:Kean,” one page, 7.5 x 9, September 12, 1781. Letter to Joseph Reed, President of Pennsylvania. In full: “Inclosed herewith your Excellency will receive an Act of Congress of the 10th instant, acknowledging the Sieur Holker as Consul General of France in the States of New-York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Delaware; and a form of an Exequatur, or notification of his quality, which is recommended as proper to be used by those States upon the occasion. Similar forms are to be used in all such cases hererafter, as you will perceive by an Act of Congress of the 31st of August, herewith also inclosed. I have the honor to be, with very great respect, Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant.” In very good condition, with intersecting folds, and scattered light creasing and soiling, including a small area under signature.
After adopting the Articles of Confederation on March 1, 1781, the Continental Congress became officially known as “The United States in Congress Assembled.” Thereafter, its president was referred to as the “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.” McKean served in this capacity from July to November, the shortest term of any presiding officer of Congress since independence; Reed was the President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania from 1778-1781. When Congress received a letter on September 10 from the chevalier de La Luzerne, Minister Plenipotentiary of France, enclosed with a commission from King Louis XVI announcing Holker’s consular appointment, the president sent Reed this letter.
Holker, a French-raised merchant and son of a British exile, previously assisted Franklin in secretly providing supplies and money for the Continental Army before France officially entered the war. A week before McKean wrote this letter, French Admiral de Grasse had debarked 3,000 men to add to Lafayette’s force in Virginia and the combined armies of Washington and Rochambeau marched from Philadelphia south towards Yorktown. On September 28, the American-French forces staged the siege of Yorktown resulting in Cornwallis' surrender to Washington three weeks later, thus ending the Revolutionary War. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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