Description:

William H. Taft TLS Re: Embarrassing Rumors of Diplomatic Postings in South America

A 1p typed letter signed by 27th U.S. President William H. Taft (1857-1930) as "Wm H. Taft" near the bottom center. April 27, 1909. [Washington, D.C.] Typed in blue ink on watermarked bifold paper with "The White House / Washington" embossed at the letterhead. Expected wear including flattened paper folds, a few extra edge wrinkles, and isolated ink ghost impressions. Else near fine. 7" x 8.875."

President Taft wrote this letter to John Barrett (1866-1938), a career diplomat who, from 1907 to 1921, served as the first Director General of the Bureau of American Republics. (Sometimes referred to as the International Bureau of American Republics, the Bureau of American Republics was renamed the Pan American Union in 1910, and was reorganized as the Organization of American States in 1948). The agency promoted economic, political, and social cooperation between sovereign nations in North, Central, and South America.

Taft wrote in part:

"You must not allow yourself to be embarrassed by newspaper articles connecting your name with any diplomatic or other position. You have a place high in diplomacy now and should your name be associated with some other place I hope it won't annoy you. Certainly, no one who knows anything about it can assert that you have asked for a place or have taken any steps looking to the consideration of your name in that connection'"

John Barrett had recently been in the news because he had hosted a lavish banquet at Washington, D.C.'s New Willard Hotel on April 15, 1909. The dinner party was attended by 175 delegates from 21 Western Hemisphere countries, including Vice President James S. Sherman and Secretary of State Philander Knox. The decoration of the banquet hall with many national flags, the orchestration of music including "Pan-American Airs," and even the Spanish-inspired menu, symbolized and celebrated international friendship. As the April 16, 1909 issue of the "Washington Herald" reported: "In many ways, it [this dinner] was one of the most unusual, and, at the same time, one of the most representative banquets that has been given in the National Capital since the beginning of the renaissance which of late years has been steadily welding together the bonds of comity and commerce between the United States and her sister nations to the South."

John Barrett had taken an unconventional path towards the U.S. Foreign Service, transitioning from a West Coast journalist to U.S. Consul General to Siam (Thailand) after receiving the personal recommendation of President Grover Cleveland. Barrett later served as U.S. Minister to Argentina (1903-1904); U.S. Minister to Panama (1904-1905); and U.S. Minister to Columbia (1905-1906).

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.

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