Description:

Millard Fillmore ALS Reflecting on American Values Protected Under the "'Tree of Liberty'"

A 1p autograph letter signed by then Vice President Millard Fillmore (1800-1870) as "Millard Fillmore" at the lower right. Written in Washington, D.C. on December 19, 1849 on a single leaf of laid watermarked paper. Docketed verso. Ex-Matz, including the collector's minuscule green hand-stamp "BM" discretely positioned in the bottom right corner verso. Expected wear including paper folds. A small rusted ring impression is found in the upper left corner. The "d" of "Millard" in Fillmore's signature is slightly smudged. Else near fine. 7.875" x 9.875."

In December 1849, Millard Fillmore was more than halfway through his tenure as Vice President in the administration of Zachary Taylor; in fact, he would assume the presidency in less than six months, in July 1850, following Taylor's death.

In the letter, Vice President Fillmore wrote an office-seeker named Jonas Hoch who wanted to become Deputy Marshal for the County of Berks in southeastern Pennsylvania. The position came under the jurisdiction of Anthony Ellmaker Roberts (1803-1885), U.S. Marshal of Eastern Pennsylvania. Fillmore declined to give Hoch a recommendation letter, writing, "[it] might be thought impertinent, and do you more harm than good."

But Fillmore softened the blow by commenting favorably on Hoch's justification for directly approaching him--the Vice President of the United States--about such a matter. Fillmore wrote, "You ask to be excused for addressing me in so common a manner + then add 'you know that we are raised + brought up under the Tree of Liberty.' No apology for your letter, I assure you, was necessary, and if it had been, you certainly have given an admirable one…" Fillmore appreciated--and celebrated--the egalitarian value system underpinning the early American republic; it pointed to an exceptional national character.

Anthony Ellmaker Roberts had served as Sheriff of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania between 1839-1842 before serving as U.S. Marshal of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in the 1850s. Roberts, who was an abolitionist, was legally obligated as a U.S. Marshal to enforce the terms of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law. Yet the evidence in one reclamation case in Christiana, Pennsylvania in September 1851 suggests that Roberts did everything he could, covertly, to ensure the liberty of captured slaves. He later served as a U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania.

Millard Fillmore served as 13th U.S. President between July 1850 and March 1853.

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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