Description:

Slavery

1pp document on “State of New-York, Executive Department” letterhead signed by 11th New York Governor William L. Marcy as “ W.L. Marcy” near bottom right. Tipped into oblong cream-colored paper sheet measuring 7.25” x 10.75”. In near fine condition with isolated spot toning recto and minor ink ghost impression verso. Sight size of the document is 6.625" x 6.875".

New York Governor William L. Marcy issued this document from the state capital Albany to “his Excellency, The Governor of Mississippi” Charles Lynch (1783-1853) on June 6, 1836. The signed document originally accompanied a copy of “the Report and Resolutions adopted by that body [New York State Legislature] on the subject of Domestic Slavery” and a report on “the proceedings of the Abolitionists” (neither included in this lot.)

This was a controversial missive, in that New York was predominantly anti-slavery and Mississippi was a slave-holding Cotton Belt state. Thus, while New York was courteously keeping Mississippi informed of its discourse, it was also delivering what might be considered inflammatory news. The fact that New York Governor Marcy, widely known as a Southern sympathizer or “doughface”, might have softened the news somewhat, but New York’s political sentiments would have alienated many state’s rights Mississippians.

In June 1836, New York abolitionists were reacting to Congress’s passage the month before of the “gag rule”, which automatically shelved any legislation relating to slavery. Since March of that year, when South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun (1782-1850) left the chamber in disgust, congressmen had been disagreeing about the constitutionality of discussing slavery. The gag rule would eventually be lifted in 1844, after energetic lobbying by former 6th U.S. President John Quincy Adams (1767-1848).

William L. Marcy (1786-1857) was a Brown University graduate, War of 1812 veteran, teacher, lawyer, newspaper editor, and politician. In terms of political affiliation, Marcy was a Democratic-Republican and a member of the so-called Albany Regency. This group of influential New York politicians was led by future 8th U.S. President Martin Van Buren (1782-1862). After serving as 8th New York State Comptroller and a U.S. Senator from New York, Marcy was elected as Governor of New York. He held this position between 1833 and 1838, and indeed, it was in this capacity that he sent this signed document. Later, Marcy served as Secretary of War to 11th U.S. President James K. Polk (1795-1849) and as Secretary of State during the Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) administration.

Provenance: This item was recently discovered in an extra illustrated volume of “History of the City of New York” by Mary L. Booth, New York, W. R. C. Clark, 1867. The monumental task of expanding the original two volumes to twenty-one volumes was given to Emery E. Childs, Esq. of New York City. A lovely india ink drawing of Mary L. Booth labeled “presented by her to E.E.C.” in pencil appears in the first volume of this work. Next to the title page we find an original letter of Booth to Childs dated April 4, 1872: “I am in receipt of your favor of the 4th inst., and am grateful to hear that you are taking the trouble to illustrate my History of the City of New York in the manner you describe. I shall be happy to see you, should you favor me with a call as I am usually in my office during business hours and should be pleased to facilitate your Enterprise by any means in my power”.

It is assumed that the book took several years to assemble, at which point, presumably through Childs, it made its way to Senator Charles B. Farwell of Chicago (who took the seat of John A. Logan in 1887). Farwell had an extensive library in his Lakeside home that survived the great Chicago fire in 1871. In the American Bibliopolist of November 1871, there is an article about the devastation to libraries caused by the tragedy: “Mr. C. B. Farwell’s library is also fortunately far out from the city, at his country house, and is safe. The same remark will also apply to the extensive collection of books and curiosities belonging to Mr. E. E. Childs.” This establishes the Chicago connection between Childs and Farwell.

These items were preserved for over 140 years and have never been on the market. The mostly pristine state of preservation of the items is due from their being wedged in these volumes.

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