Description:

James A. Garfield
Washington, D.C., June 9, 1881
Garfield as Pres. Appoints a Female Notary for the District of Columbia, Unusual!
DS
An appointment signed by President James Garfield for a female Notary. 1p, measuring 15" x 19.25", Washington, D.C., dated June 9, 1881. Signed "James A. Garfield" and countersigned by James Blaine as Secretary of State. The document appoints Emma M. Gillett a Notary Public for the District of Columbia. With the seal of the United States and Department of Justice stamp in upper left corner. Light toning throughout. Flattened folds, with small repairs along the fold lines. Large, bold signature. Very good.

Unique among the states, the District of Columbia is governed by Congress because it is not, technically, a state. Residents of the District have no Senators, and their Congressional Representatives are at-large, non-voting members. District residents were only able to vote in Presidential elections after the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961. Before 1871, three separate municipalities governed the District's territory. In 1871, the District of Columbia Organic Act combined the City of Washington, Georgetown, and the unincorporated lands of Washington County. The District was governed by a territorial governor for three years, until abolished in 1874 and replaced with a three member Board of Commissioners appointed by the President. The 1973 Home Rule Act finally allowed for an elected municipal government, and the District's first mayor, Walter Washington, took office January 2, 1975. As a result, many functions of government generally considered the purview of the states or cities rose to the federal level; explaining James A. Garfield's signature on an appointment for a post as humble as a notary public. Garfield was assassinated three months after making this appointment.

James Garfield (1831-1881) was the twentieth President of the United States. After graduating from Williams College in Massachusetts, he entered politics and was elected Ohio State Senator in 1859. He opposed Confederate Succession and served as a Major General in the Union Army. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1880, and became the Republican Party's compromise candidate in the 1880 election after Ulysses S. Grant, John Sherman, and James Blaine all failed to secure a majority at the Republican convention. Four months into his Presidency, he was shot by a deranged office seeker and lingered for nearly three months, although he was unable to govern. During his brief Presidency, he initiated civil service reforms, reformed the Post Office, made four federal court appointments, and appointed Stanley Matthews to the Supreme Court.

James Blaine (1830-1893) was a U.S. Congressman, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator, Secretary of State, and Presidential candidate from Maine. He was a dominant force in the post-Civil War Republican Party, and took an independent course on Reconstruction by supporting black voting rights but rejecting some of the more ambitious plans of the Radical Republicans. He was unsuccessful at gaining the Presidential nomination in 1876 and 1880, but secured the nomination in 1884, although he lost to Grover Cleveland.

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: 15" x 19.25"
  • Medium: DS

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.

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