Description:

Ulysses S. Grant
Washington, D.C., October 30, 1869
Ulysses S. Grant ALS as Pres. to Sec. Navy!
ALS
An autograph letter signed by President Ulysses S. Grant in which he writes to an old friend – the "Ex" Secretary of the Navy. 2 pp of a bifolium, measuring 5" x 8", Washington, D.C., dated October 30, 1869. Signed "U.S. Grant" on blind-stamped "USG" stationery and addressed to Adolph E. Borie. Grant thanks Borie for his hospitality after he and his wife returned from what must have been an indulgent visit to Philadelphia. With flattened mail folds and light toning. Boldly signed. Very fine.

Reading in full:
"My Dear Ex,
We arrived here on time last evening my having recovered from the effects of your hospitality before reaching Baltimore. We shall of course expect a visit from you and Mrs. Borie during the Winter and promise you in advance not to put you through anything like Phila hardships. Mrs. Grant joins me in kind regards to you and yours."

Adolph Borie and his wife Elizabeth had been friendly with Ulysses and Julia Grant since the Civil War. Borie was a founder of the Union League in 1862 and helped finance Union units, as well as being a strong supporter of Republican Party. Upon his election, Grant appointed many of his close friend to Cabinet positions, and Borie became Secretary of the Navy in 1869. After fourteen weeks, he resigned, citing health reasons. In reality, Borie had no interest in the Navy and admitted that Admiral David Porter was the de facto department head. He returned to his shipping and importing businesses, but remained close to the Grants after his resignation. The Bories frequently visited the White House, and likewise, entertained the Grants at their country home in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia.

Grant's admission that he need to recover from the "effects of your hospitality" no doubt refers to the character of the previous evening's entertainment. Grant's drinking dogged both his military and political careers (Lincoln reputedly said "find out what whiskey he drinks and send all of my generals a case, if it will get the same results), but the ease of relating his hangover to Borie speaks to the closeness of his friendship, as well as Adolph and Elizabeth Borie joining the Grants for part of their world tour, 1877-1879, after Grant left office.

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: 5" x 8"
  • Medium: ALS

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.

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