Description:

WIlliam Seward
Washington, DC, Sept. 29, 1865
W. Seward On Assassination Due to "the casualties of the season." Turns Down Independence Celebration.

LS, 7.5" x 10.5" 2pp., 4to. Washington D.C., written on a rare example of Department of State mourning stationery, dated Sept. 29, 1865 and written to Boston Mayor F. W. Lincoln Jr. In the unique letter, Seward declines the Boston Mayor's invitation to attend the city's Independence Day celebrations just months after the assassination of Lincoln and the attempted assassination on Seward's life by the conspirators. In part: "I should have found pleasure in accepting had circumstances been favorable to such a proceeding. Regretting the delay in making this acknowledgment, which the casualties of the season have occasioned." Boldly signed by American politician and Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward as "William H. Seward." In fine condition, boldly signed.

On the night of April 14, 1865, the same night President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot, an associated but lesser-known attack unfolded as part of a coordinated assassination plot against key members of the U.S. government. Lewis Powell, a co-conspirator in John Wilkes Booth's plan, targeted William H. Seward, the Secretary of State, at his Washington D.C. home. Armed and determined, Powell brutally attacked and seriously wounded Seward in his bed, where he was recovering from a recent carriage accident. Powell also injured several members of the Seward household during his frenzied attempt to kill the Secretary. Despite the severity of his injuries, including a slashed throat and facial wounds, Seward miraculously survived the assassination attempt. This violent act against Seward, coupled with Lincoln's assassination and additional planned attacks that failed to materialize, marked one of the darkest nights in American history, reflecting the deep divisions and tumult of the Civil War era.

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!

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 worldwide 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 who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, 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 Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. 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.

April 10, 2024 10:30 AM EDT
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