Lot 386

Stephen Douglas Re: Marines

Previous image preload Next image preload

Stephen Douglas Re: Marines

Estimate: $500 - $700

Current Bid: $180

(2 Bids)

June 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Stephen Douglas
Washington, DC, January 13, 1845
Stephen Douglas Re: Marines
ALS

As a Congressman from Illinois, Stephen A. Douglas, then spelling his surname with two s's, forwarded a petition signed by several members of the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives to U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Y. Mason. The petition requested the appointment of Peter B. Ross of Illinois as a lieutenant of marines.

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, Autograph Letter Signed, to John Y. Mason, January 13, 1845, Washington, DC 1 p., 8" x 10". Expected fold, light toning; bold signature.

Excerpt
"I herewith enclose the Petition of Capt Peter B Ross of Illinois for the appointment of Lieut of Marines in the service of the United States. I am well acquainted with the signers to the Petition most of whom are members of the Senate & Legislature of Illinois & gentlemen of the highest standing. If you can give Capt Ross the appointment consistent with your sense of duty you will confer an especial favor on your obedient servant
"S A Douglass"

Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) was born in Vermont, and his father died when he was a few months old. After attending Canandaigua Academy in western New York, he began to teach school and study law. In 1833, Douglas migrated to Illinois and settled in Jacksonville, where he was admitted to the bar in 1834. As a Democrat, Douglas served in the Illinois House of Representatives (1836-1837), as Register of the U.S. General Land Office in Springfield (1837-1838), as Illinois Secretary of State (1840-1841), and as associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court (1841-1843). Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, he served from 1843 to 1847, when he became one of Illinois' U.S. Senators, a position he held until his death. He became a leader in the U.S. Senate, and his sponsorship of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and popular sovereignty in the U.S. territories drew the opposition of fellow Illinoisan Abraham Lincoln. Their series of debates in 1858, when Lincoln tried to unseat Senator Douglas, drew national attention to both men. In 1860, southern opposition to Douglas as the Democratic nominee for president divided the Democrats, allowing Abraham Lincoln to win a plurality of the votes and a majority in the electoral college. Douglas strongly supported the Union and urged compromise to avert secession before dying of typhoid fever in June 1861.

John Young Mason (1799-1859) was born in Virginia and graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1816, and studied law at the Litchfield Law School in 1819. Admitted to the bar in Virginia that year, he began a practice in Greensville and Southampton counties. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates (1819-1821, 1823-1826) and the Virginia Senate (1826-1831) before representing Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives (1831-1837). After serving as a federal judge in Virginia (1841-1844), Mason served as U.S. Secretary of the Navy (1844-1845) under President John Tyler. He then served as U.S. Attorney General (1845-1846) and again as U.S. Secretary of the Navy (1846-1849) under President James K. Polk. He resumed the practice of law in Richmond, Virginia, from 1849 to 1854, when President Franklin Pierce appointed Mason as U.S. Minister to France, a position he held under Presidents Pierce and James Buchanan until his death.

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"
  • Medium: ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, 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.

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