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Lot 144
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A. Lincoln to Vice-President-Elect Hamlin Discussing Cabinet Appointments. Ex Forbs, Sotheby's, Christie's
A. Lincoln to Vice-President-Elect Hamlin Discussing Cabinet Appointments. Ex Forbs, Sotheby's, Christie's
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Description:

Lincoln Abraham

A. Lincoln to Vice-President-Elect Hamlin Discussing Cabinet Appointments. Ex Forbes, Sotheby's, Christie's

 

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Autograph Letter Signed, to Hannibal Hamlin, December 8, 1860.  1 p., 5.125" x 7.875". Expected folds; faint ink; some edge tears. With a copy of Malcolm Forbes' bill for this item combined with another in our sale along with a copy of original Sotheby's Description. Forbes paid roughtly $3700 for each letter or about 10 times what a standard Lincoln DS would sell for.

 

Complete Transcript:

 

"Private


                        Springfield, Ills. Dec. 8, 1860.


My dear Sir


    Yours of the 4th was duly received. The inclosed to Gov. Seward, covers two notes to him, copies of which you find open for your inspection. Consult with Judge Trumbull; and if he and you see no reason to the contrary, deliver the letter to Gov. Seward at once. If you see reason to the contrary, write me at once.


    I have had an intimation that Gov. Banks would yet accept a place in the Cabinet. Please ascertain & write me how this is.


                        Yours very truly,
                        A. Lincoln"

 

Historical Background:

 

After his election to the Presidency, Abraham Lincoln began to assemble his Cabinet to assist him in governing a rapidly dividing nation. Unlike many other presidents, Lincoln turned to his former rivals for the Republican nomination to fill out his Cabinet, including William H. Seward of New York, Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania, Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, and Edward Bates of Missouri. Many Republicans early in 1860 expected William H. Seward to be the party’s nominee, including Seward himself. After Lincoln won the nomination and the election, he turned to his Vice-President-elect to gauge whether Seward would accept a post in the Cabinet.

 

On December 4, Hannibal Hamlin wrote to Lincoln, “My impression is he will not desire a place in your Cabinet, but he may.”

 

With this letter, Lincoln sent through Hamlin two letters to Seward. The first was a brief formal letter informing Seward, “With your permission, I shall, at the proper time, nominate you to the Senate, for confirmation, as Secretary of State, for the United States.” The second was a longer and much more informal letter to reassure Seward that Lincoln’s offer was not merely a compliment: “I deem it proper to address you this. Rumors have got into the newspapers to the effect that the Department, named above, would be tendered you, as a compliment, and with the expectation that you would decline it. I beg you to be assured that I have said nothing to justify these rumors. On the contrary, it has been my purpose, from the day of the nomination at Chicago, to assign you, by your leave, this place in the administration. I have delayed so long to communicate that purpose, in deference to what appeared to me to be a proper caution in the case. Nothing has been developed to change my view in the premises; and I now offer you the place, in the hope that you will accept it, and with the belief that your position in the public eye, your integrity, ability, learning, and great experience, all combine to render it an appointment pre-eminently fit to be made.”

 

After responding on December 13, requesting “a little time to consider whether I possess the qualifications and temper of a minister,” Seward sent Lincoln a brief, formal letter of acceptance on December 28.

 

On December 14, Hamlin responded to this letter and informed Lincoln that he had consulted with Senator Lyman Trumbull (1813-1896) and had delivered Lincoln’s letters to Seward. “I am not able to tell you what will be the final determination,” Hamlin continued, “tho the Gentleman has said decidedly that he would decline all place. But as I wrote you before he may reconsider his opinions.” In regard to Governor Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts, Hamlin wrote, “My decided impression is that Wells or Adams will be a better apt. than his for N.E. Mr B. is a man of decided ability, but he is wonderfully cold and selfish. I do not hear him talked of by our N.E. friends.” Lincoln went on to appoint Gideon Welles of Connecticut as his Secretary of the Navy.

 

Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891) was born in Maine (then a part of Massachusetts) and managed his father’s farm before becoming a newspaper editor. He was admitted to the bar in 1833, and began a practice. Elected as a Democrat to the Maine House of Representatives in 1835, he served from 1836 to 1841. He represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1843 to 1847 and in the U.S. Senate from 1848 to 1861 and again from 1869 to 1881. An opponent of slavery, Hamlin opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and left the Democratic Party for the newly formed Republican Party. In 1860, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President on a ticket with Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. Elected as the first Republican Vice President, Hamlin held that office from 1861 to 1865. Replaced by Andrew Johnson as Vice Presidential nominee in 1864, Hamlin served as Collector of the Port of Boston for a time before resigning in disagreement with Johnson over Reconstruction policies. In addition to serving in the U.S. Senate after the Civil War, Hamlin also served as Minister to Spain from 1881 to 1882.

Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), American owner-publisher of Forbes magazine, and consummate collector,  amassed one of the most substantial and broad collections of such breadth and depth that it filled a half-dozen residences, and sat on three continents. Many of his manuscripts were sold in Multi-million dollar sales By Christie's in the early 2000’s. The Forbes name is considered to be the apex of provenance when attached to an item like the above. We are honored to have been chosen by the family to sell at auction the substantial balance of the collection.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000