Manuscript document signed by Kentucky's four electors—Charles Scott, Isaac Shelby, John Coburn, and John Pope—one page, 8 x 13.5, December 3, 1800. An important and unusual document in which Kentucky's electors for the presidential election of 1800 appoint an emissary to carry their votes to Washington. Headed "Duplicate," the document reads, in full: "We the Undersigned Electors for the State of Kentucky, of a President and Vice President of the United States of America do hereby appoint John Bridges Esquire, to take charge of and deliver to the President of the Senate of the said United States, of America at the Seat of the General Government, before the first Wednesday in January next, a Certificate of the Votes by us given this day for the purposes aforesaid. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this third day of December in the year of one thousand eight hundred."
Signed at the conclusion in ink by each of the state's four electors: Charles Scott (1739–1813), the Revolutionary major-general and Indian fighter who became governor of Kentucky in 1808; Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), the Revolutionary soldier who was Kentucky's first governor and who was re-elected to that post during the War of 1812; John Coburn (1762–1823), an attorney and state court judge who was appointed to a number of federal posts by Presidents Jefferson and Madison; and John Pope (1770–1845), an attorney who served represented Kentucky in Congress and later served as governor of the Arkansas territory.
Below is Bridges' attestation, in full: "I John Bridges do hereby certify that I did this day recv. of the hand of Isaac Shelby Esqr. the dispatches containing the votes of the Electors of the State of President & Vice President, what I do bind myself to deliver to the president ate of Kentucky for of the Senate at the Seat of the general government as the law directs. Given under my hand and Seal the Sixth day of December 1800." Signed at the conclusion by Bridges and countersigned by J. G. Hunter. The top of Bridges' page, with two lines of text, is affixed at the bottom of the main document; the fold is split and the remainder of the page is intact. In overall very good condition, with complete (repairable) separation along the central horizontal fold of the main document.
In the pivotal presidential election of 1800, Kentucky strongly supported Thomas Jefferson, reflecting its alignment with Democratic-Republican ideals. As a frontier state with a largely agrarian population, Kentucky favored Jefferson’s advocacy for states’ rights and limited federal government over the centralized policies of the Federalists. All four of Kentucky’s electoral votes went to Jefferson, helping secure his narrow victory over incumbent President John Adams.
