ALS, one page both sides, 6.75 x 8.25, March 17, 1862. Letter to family friend Laura Pleasanton, in part: “I am living here in peace & contentment & should be a happy man were it not for the troubles of the country. Through the blessing of providence I enjoy better health than I had reason to expect at my age which is now nearly seventy one. How changed must be the society of Washington! To me the resident society was charming. Indeed I had vainly hoped to pass a portion of every year with you; but this dream of happiness like so many others has been dissipated. A new society now predominates instead of the old familiar faces & one in which to say the least, I would not be welcome. I scarcely understand your request concerning the ‘Power of attorney of attorney [sic] for brother to execute.’ There seems to be some confusion in this matter. The two certificates belong, I presume, to your father’s estate & were, therefore, taken in my name as trustee under his will. They are in trust for Clementine & yourself & therefore, I presume you could draw the interest without any power from me. If not let Hopkins send me a blank power of attorney to yourselves such as you desire to draw the interest, or to any other person for your use, & I shall execute & return it immediately.” In fine condition. His reputation marred by his poor handling of the gradual Southern succession, Buchanan left office at the very nadir of his popularity. Written a year after leaving the White House, this letter reveals a glimpse into how Buchanan would defend his presidency for the remainder of his life. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$75.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
