Description:

Abraham Lincoln
n.p., n.d.
Lincoln Cabinet: Seward, Colfax, Hay, Dix, & Nicholay
Archive

Distinguished grouping of original autograph material connected to the administration and inner circle of President Abraham Lincoln. The collection includes autograph letters signed by Schuyler Colfax, John G. Nicolay, and John Hay, along with autograph cuts of John A. Dix and William H. Seward. The documents exhibit expected age toning and light handling wear consistent with 19th-century correspondence, yet remain legible and visually appealing. Each signature is well-executed in period ink on trimmed segments, suitable for display or further archival presentation. Some repair to the Hay letter, toning and uneven edges. Please see photos for further details. Largest example measures 3.75" x 7", while the Dix cut, the smallest example, measures .675" x 2.25".

- The Schuyler Colfax letter, written in his hand, concerns a recommendation and is signed at the conclusion, reflecting his role as a prominent Republican statesman and later Vice President of the United States.

- The John G. Nicolay letter, addressed to Mrs. Parker Mann, reads in part:

"My daughter's illness – happily not serious – prevents our accepting your kind invitation for Monday evening, Feb. 23. Please make our congratulations to the newly wedded.
Sincerely, Jno. G. Nicolay."

- The John Hay letter, written on stationery bearing the address "800 Sixteenth Street, Lafayette Square," dated Nov. 26, reads:

"Dear Mr. Mann,
I have only this moment received your letter of the 15th. I have a picture that might suit you ‘The Grand Cañon of the Yellowstone' by Thomas Moran. It will be at your disposition at any time you may send for it.
Yours very truly
John Hay."

- Also included are two signed autograph cuts: one boldly signed "John A. Dix" and another signed "Wm. H. Seward."

This grouping represents key figures from Abraham Lincoln's Cabinet and closest advisory circle during and after the Civil War era, uniting an interconnected circle of statesmen, diplomats, secretaries, and political leaders whose influence shaped the preservation of the Union and the course of Reconstruction. William H. Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, directed Union diplomacy throughout the Civil War and later engineered the 1867 purchase of Alaska; John A. Dix served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Buchanan before becoming a Union general and influential wartime political figure. John G. Nicolay and John Hay, Lincoln's trusted personal secretaries, later authored the monumental ten-volume Abraham Lincoln: A History, significantly shaping early historical understanding of his presidency, while Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House during the war and later Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant, stood as a leading Republican aligned closely with Lincoln's policies and the broader Union cause.

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.

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  • Dimensions: largest: 3.75" x 7"
  • Medium: Archive

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March 25, 2026 10:30 AM EDT
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University Archives

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