Description:

Abraham Lincoln
Syracuse & Saratoga Springs, NY, ca. 1862-1864
Civil War Letters to Lincoln's Pastor and Spiritual Adviser
Archive
[ABRAHAM LINCOLN.] Correspondence to Phineas D. Gurley, 1862-1864. 3 letters, 8 pp.

This group of three letters from judge and attorney Israel S. Spencer of Syracuse, New York, to Rev. Phineas D. Gurley in Washington asks questions about the spiritual state of Lincoln's cabinet and the leading generals. They also indicate that Judge Spencer hoped to secure a position in the federal judiciary through the efforts of his friend Rev. Gurley.

Contents and Excerpts
Israel S. Spencer, Autograph Letter Signed, to Phineas D. Gurley, April 23, 1862, Syracuse, New York. 1 p., 5" x 8".
"May I ask you to inform me, (if it will not take too much of your time) of the religious character of the Members of the Cabinet and the Generals conducting the army so far as you may know. Your answer will be regarded as strictly confidential."

Israel S. Spencer, Autograph Letter Signed, to Phineas D. Gurley, August 8, 1863, Saratoga Springs, New York. 3 pp., 5" x 8".
"I think I had not better come to Washington until I get some further indication from you. As there may not be any desireable Vacancy in Washington in the line spoken of I would not limit the appointment to that place. I presume that among many other things there will be many District Judges appointed south and perhaps near Washington. But instead of writing at length I will only refer to all our communication at our last interview. I think I had not best to get any further letters until we have some indication of the point to which they should be directed. I am acquainted with both of our Senators and I think I could get favorable letters from both or from any good leading man in the state. You can share the enclosed or not as you think best. I shall be gratified for and satisfied with the exercise of your own judgement & action in this matter & confidently trust a kind Providence for the result."

Israel S. Spencer, Autograph Letter Signed, to Phineas D. Gurley, April 9, 1864, Syracuse, New York. 4 pp., 7.75" x 9.75".
"I received your good letter of the 31st in a much more cheerful State of mind than I think it was written. Really I feel to Sympathize with you for your Solicitude on the Subject. Nor do I see what more could have been done. And having undergone no change of wishes but remain of the same mind I feel to ‘hope on' and to be ready to do more—enough I hope with your aid to accomplish the object when there is a suitable opening. If you see anything that induces you to think the views of the President have grown less favorable please let me know."
"Our little city never appeared so prosperous & promising as now. But these are eventful times & we know not what the future has in store for us. We do not forget that our nation is runing up a frightful debt. There never was a time when Christians should go to God with more earnestness than now. Most certainly He only can save."

Israel S. Spencer (1813-1885) was born in New York. In 1839, he married Mary Jane Roberts, but she died nine months later. In 1843, he married Clarissa Jane Benham (1820-1885), with whom he had at least one child. He became an attorney and judge in Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York.

Phineas D. Gurley (1816-1868) was born in Hamilton, New York, and graduated from Union College in 1837 and Princeton Theological Seminary in 1840. After serving churches in Indiana and Ohio, Gurley became the past of F Street Church in Washington, D.C., in 1854. Five years later, that church merged with the Second Presbyterian to become the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, for which Gurley served as pastor until his death. From 1859 to 1861, he served as Chaplain of the United States Senate. President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Lincoln attended Gurley's church, where the Lincolns rented a pew. Gurley was at Lincoln's deathbed and accompanied Mary Lincoln to inform her son Tad of Lincoln's death.

We are proud to include items consigned by the Manuscript Society in this auction. These items come from the estate of well-known manuscript dealers Forest G. & Forest H. Sweet and Julia Sweet Newman. Forest G. Sweet was an early leader of the Manuscript Society as well as a rare book scholar. The proceeds from your purchase of these items will benefit the work of the Manuscript Society. You can learn more about them, and become a member of the Manuscript Society, at www.manuscript.org.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

  • Dimensions: 7.75" x 9.75"
  • Medium: Archive

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

March 12, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

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