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Lot 200
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John Tyler ALS re: Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
John Tyler ALS re: Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
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Description:

Tyler (President) John 1790 - 1862

John Tyler ALS regarding the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Two page bi-fold on light blue paper stock, with the second page inlaid to another sheet. Front page 7.25" x 9.5", with second page 8" x 9.5". Neatly penned one three sides. Dated "October 12, 1850" and signed by John Tyler as "J Tyler". Light toning to the pages, slight occasional smearing of the ink, else near fine.

A phenomenal example of John Tyler's signature with a revealing and satirical letter dated during his period post politics and while retired to his plantation in Virginia. Tyler's rather non-conventional and controversial political beliefs created his nickname of "His Accidency".

Harrison's death made Tyler the first vice president to succeed to the presidency without being elected to the office. Because of the short duration of Harrison's one-month term, Tyler served longer than any president in U.S. history who was never elected to the office. To forestall constitutional uncertainty, Tyler immediately took the oath of office, moved into the White House, and assumed full presidential powers, a precedent that would govern future successions and eventually become codified in the Twenty-fifth Amendment. A strict constructionist, Tyler found much of the Whig platform unconstitutional, and vetoed several of his party's bills. Believing that the president should set policy instead of deferring to Congress, he attempted to bypass the Whig establishment, most notably Kentucky Senator Henry Clay. Most of Tyler's Cabinet resigned soon into his term, and the Whigs, dubbing him His Accidency, expelled him from the party. Though Tyler was not the first president to veto bills, he was the first to see his veto overridden by Congress.

Tyler retired to a Virginia plantation, originally named Walnut Grove (or "the Grove"), located on the James Riverin Charles City County. He renamed it Sherwood Forest, in a reference to the folk legend Robin Hood, to signify that he had been "outlawed" by the Whig Party. He did not take farming lightly and worked hard to maintain large yields. His neighbors, largely Whigs, appointed him to the minor office of overseer of roads in 1847 in an effort to mock him. To their displeasure he treated the job seriously, frequently summoning his neighbors to provide their slaves for road work, and continuing to insist on carrying out his duties even after his neighbors asked him to stop.

This interesting letter is addressed from Tyler's Sherwood Forest residence in Virginia, and refers to the newly enacted Fugitive Law, which had just passed only the month prior in September of 1850. The Fugitive Slave Law or Fugitive Slave Act was passed by the United States Congress, as part of the Compromise of 1850betweenSouthern slave-holding interests and Northern Free-Soilers. The Act was one of the most controversial elements of the 1850 compromise and heightened Northern fears of a "slave power conspiracy". It required that all escaped slaves were, upon capture, to be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate in this law. Abolitionists nicknamed it the "Bloodhound Law" for the dogs that were used to track down runaway slaves. Widespread resistance to the earlier 1793 law later led to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which added further provisions regarding runaways and levied even harsher punishments for interfering in their capture.

Tyler criticizes two New York editors: "Now what jackasses are Mssrs Herricks and Ropes ... in the first place, deem it a matter of censure in a judge to execute the law- and in the next they show their ignorance ... by ascribing to Mr. Tyler under their witty soubriquet of Captain (a title he is well content to wear since he enjoyed it during the war of 1812 with Great Britain) ..."

His letter shown in full below:

"Sherwood Forest/Private Oct. 12, 1850

Dr. Sir:

What say you to the subjoined paragraph for the Pilot. You will find it on the other page is it is not due to the Southern cause that some notice would be taken of our friends. You will find the Atlas enclosed - do with it as you please.

I send you a copy of my address at the University with true regards.

Truly Yrs. / J. Tyler

Mr. S. Cunningham Esq.

[Separate Page]

The fugitive slave bill and Commissioner Gardiner

The first case which has arisen under the Fugitive slave law, came before Commissioner Gardiner of New York. The fugitive was promptly dealt by and restored to his owner in Baltimore. Mr. Gardiner has proven himself to be a faithful public servant, an honest man, and a Patriot. And yet, by a certain class of Editors in New York he is sneered at, and an effort is made to excite dislike towards him on the part of the public. A paper called the Atlas, of no circulation of much moment beyond the purview of the street in which it is edited, proclaims the proceeding "an infamous outrage", and, in the language of low black quadroon with which they seem to be familiar, the Editors (there are two of them,pars nobile fratrum) say that "Hamlet was brought before a Commissioner named Gardiner. Gardiner is a brother in law of the celebrated Captain John Tyler, later President of the United States, and received his office <2> at the hands of that functionary." Now what jackasses are Mssrs Herricks and Ropes, the Editors? These would-be somethingarians[1], in the first place, deem it a matter of censure in a judge, to execute the law and, in the next they show their ignorance by ascribing to Mr. Tyler under their witty soubriquet of Captain (a title he is well content to wear since he enjoyed it during the war of 1812 with Great Britain) the appointment of his brother-in law to office, when, in fact, Mr.Gardiner, as we happen to know, received his office of Clerk of the U.S. Circuit Court of New York and Commissioner, at the hands of another. Had it been otherwise Mr. Tyler would well have mentioned the thanks of the Country for so good an appointment.

Verily Ropes was made for Herrick and Herrick for Ropes as will, we doubt not, sooner or later be seen".

A beautiful and lengthy letter with great content!

Provenance:

Part of a collection assembled for Augustin Daly, ca. 1889-1893 (American Art Association 19 March 1900, lot 3122), sold to the celebrated New York dealer George D. Smith and resold by Smith in or before May 1900.

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