Description:

James Garfield
Mentor, OH, December 23, 1880
President-Elect James Garfield Declines Senatorship After Surprise Election Results
LS (but possibly an ALS, not sold as such)

A historically significant letter signed (possibly an ALS, not sold as such) from President-Elect James A. Garfield in which he discusses having to decline the office of senator ahead of assuming the presidency. 2p (front and back), measuring 8" x 10.25", Mentor, OH, December 23, 1880. Signed at conclusion as "J. A. Garfield" and addressed to Vermont senator George F. Edmunds, who himself ran as a candidate in the 1880 Republican Convention. Accompanied by its original mailing envelope, hand addressed by Garfield. Exhibits light toning and letter creasing throughout, with isolated pin hole in the upper left corner. Otherwise, near fine.

In part:

"Yours of the 13th inst, enclosing suggestions in reference to my declination of the senatorship came duly to hand… I have… written to the Governor and to the General Assembly renouncing the appointment of senator, and have also notified the President of the Senate of my action. I have suggested to the Governor that my letter be laid before the Legislature in the first day of their session which happens to be on the second Tuesday, and to elect a Senator in strict accordance with the law of Congress on this subject."

Garfield had been re-elected to the Senate by the Ohio General Assembly in January 1880, with his term scheduled to begin on March 4, 1881. After being unexpectedly nominated as the Republican presidential candidate that June, he went on the win the general election against Democratic opponent Winfield Scott Hancock. Once president-elect, Garfield was obliged to decline the senatorship which was then filled by Ezra B. Taylor (1823-1912).

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 10.25"
  • Medium: LS (but possibly an ALS, not sold as such)

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.

February 18, 2026 10:00 AM EST
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