Description:

Henry Clay
Ashland, KY, September 7, 1840
Henry Clay ALS x2 on Whig Support of W. H. Harrison and the National Bank
ALS
An autograph letter signed twice by Henry Clay concerning the upcoming presidential election and the National Bank, Ashland, Kentucky, dated September 7, 1840. Signed at the conclusion "H. Clay" and free franked on the address page as "Free H. Clay." Addressed to Stephen White Esq. 1p of a bifolium, measuring 8" x 10". With a black wax seal on verso, which has caused minor loss to the address page. Flattened mail folds and faint edge soiling. Further minor soiling on the address page. Boldly signed, very fine overall.

In part:
"Your favor reached here during my absence from home in attendance upon the great S. Western Convention at Nashville. I thank you for the information which it contains. That which I collected at Nashville is most cheering. I believe that Tennessee will not be much behind Kentucky in the majority for Harrison. The finest and most enthusiastic prevails there, and animated the whole Convention. If the October elections turn out favorably, I believe that the Whigs will sweep the whole South and S. West from the Potomac to the Balzie [a former French fort and settlement near the mouth of the Mississippi River], including Louisiana, and excepting only South Carolina. My opinions have been so often expected that I need not repeat them, as to the necessity of a Nat. Bank. We must see and know the results of approaching Elections before we venture to speculate as to the time of its establishment…"

Henry Clay was well-versed on the topic of a national bank, having already clashed with Andrew Jackson and the Democrats over their policies during the election of 1832. Clay was a strong supporter of the national bank, while Jackson disliked it due to a hatred of both banks and paper currency. During the Van Buren administration, the country's economy was hit by a massive recession, the Panic of 1837, which the Whigs blamed on Jackson's prior policies and the use of pet banks. As the election of 1840 approached, the Whigs saw their chance to capitalize on the Democratic Party's failure, with Clay leading the charge. However, rather than Clay, it was William Henry Harrison who rose as the principle Whig candidate for president, due to Clay's prior two presidential defeats. While disappointed at not winning the nomination, Clay ultimately lent support to Harrison by campaigning and delivering numerous speeches on his behalf.

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: 8" x 10"
  • Medium: ALS

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.

May 15, 2024 10:30 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