Description:

Early trade with China! Andrew Jackson's Treasury Secretary Roger B. Taney authorizes the New York Collector of Customs to allow a ship owned by Talbot Olyphant & Co. to admit to entry "thirty eight boxes Merchandise mentioned in the enclosed Invoice, and imported from Canton" - Olyphant, trading in silk, has been called "The Father of the American Mission to China" - he offered missionaries free transportation to China and, unlike his competitors, he refused to trade in opium

ROGER B. TANEY (1777-1864) Partly Printed LS "R. B. Taney" as Secretary of the Treasury in President Andrew Jackson's cabinet, 1p, 8" x 9.5". [Washington], Treasury Department, May 29, 1834. Completed in manuscript. To Samuel Swartwout, Esq., Collector of the Customs, New York. Docketed on verso of integral leaf. Fine condition.

In full, "Application having been made to me, by Messr Talbot O. & Co. under date of the 26th inst to admit to entry thirty eight boxes Merchandise mentioned in the enclosed Invoice, and imported from Canton in the Ship Franklin; and you having certified your opinion that no fraud was intended in the invoice; and there not appearing any just ground to suspect that a fraud upon the Revenue was intended, you are authorized and directed to admit the said merchandise to entry, in the same manner as if the invoice had been duly certified and authenticated, upon compliance with the provisions of the 10th section of the supplementary act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage, passed the 1st of March, 1823..." The docket identifies that the application was made by Talbot Olyphant.

In 1828, David W.C. Olyphant and Charles N. Talbot founded the trading house Talbot Olyphant & Co. in Canton, China, trading in silk, mattings and fancy articles. Olyphant refused to trade in opium and offered free passage to China and free lodgings in Canton for any missionaries, transporting Christian literature free of charge on his cargo ships. In 1829, transported to Canton by Olyphant, Elijah Coleman Bridgeman became the first American Protestant Christian missionary appointed to China. From The Pioneer of American Missions in China: The Life and Labors of Elijah Coleman Bridgman (New York: Anson D.F. Randolph, 1864), edited by his widow: "D.W.C. Olyphant, a merchant of New York, may be considered the father of the American Mission to China. Not only did he assume responsibilities in its beginning, but ever remained its firm and faithful friend to the end of his life [1851]..."

President Andrew Jackson appointed Roger B,. Taney Secretary of the Treasury on September 23, 1833, during a recess of the Senate. Just four weeks after Taney signed this letter, on June 24, 1834, by a vote of 28-18, the Senate rejected Taney's appointment, the first time a Cabinet appointee was not confirmed by the Senate. The 1834 elections gave the Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. After the death of Chief Justice John Marshall, President Jackson nominated Roger B. Taney as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on December 28,1835. On March 15, 1836, Taney was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 29-15.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

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

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% 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