A WILLIAM TAFT LETTER WRITTEN AS SECRETARY OF WAR

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was the Twenty-Seventh President.

TLS. 1pg. December 28, 1907. War Department, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” as Secretary of War. He wrote to Representative from Ohio Theodore Burton: “My dear Mr. Burton: I have your note of the 27^th instant in respect to Colonel Kingman. I suppose his is one of a number of cases I shall not consider until the President returns which involve the discussion of a matter of broad policy. Very sincerely yours, Wm H Taft”. There have been several Colonel Kingmans. The letter is in good condition. The signature is faint, and there is waterstaining.

LETTER SIGNED BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SHORTLY AFTER THE END OF HIS PRESIDENCY

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft served as President of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the Chief Justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930.

TLS. 1 pg. 8” x 10”. April 29. 1913. New Haven. Conn. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” to “Hon. Lewis Nixon”: “I thank you for sending me your brochure on the subject of the meaning of the Treaty. I shall read it with a great deal of pleasure. I shall be glad also to read Mr. Olney’s paper. If you have a copy, could you send it to me?” This letter was written just six weeks after the end of the presidency of William Howard Taft.  Taft was defeated in the 1912 presidential election thanks to a split with his former mentor and friend, former President Theodore Roosevelt. After his presidency, Taft became Kent Professor of Law and Legal History at Yale Law School, reflected in the stationery used for this letter. The treaty mentioned in the letter is almost definitely the “Arbitration of pecuniary claims (inter-American) (1910),” which Lewis Nixon signed as a representative of the government of the United States sent by Taft during his presidency. Nixon (1861-1940) was a well-respected naval architect, building executive, and Democratic political activist. This treaty agreed to arbitration when it came to economic claims between the 20 nations, all within the Western Hemisphere. The letter also references Richard Olney (1835-1917), who served as Secretary of State and Attorney General under President Grover Cleveland. Olney extended interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine to give America a greater role in Latin American affairs, with this treaty a good example of such a policy. Taft remained at Yale until his lifelong ambition to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court was finally fulfilled in 1921. The letter is in very good condition with toning and wrinkling, and includes some biographical information on Taft written at the bottom in another hand, most likely that of a previous owner.

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT THANKS A FRIEND FOR HIS WORDS OF “VINDICATION” AFTER THE CONTROVERISAL 1912 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was President of the United States, as well as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court later in his career.

TLS. 1pg. June 24, 1912. The White House, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm. H. Taft” as President on “The White House” letterhead.  Taft thanks Charles Sumner Hawkins for his words of support following the 1912 Republican National Convention, in which Taft controversially won the party’s nomination over Theodore Roosevelt; TR then formed his Progressive Party and ran against Taft.  Taft lost the 1912 Presidential Election to Woodrow Wilson: “My dear Mr. Hawkins: I thank you for the kindly words of your letter of June 22d. The vindication that I have received is very gratifying. Sincerely yours, Wm. H. Taft”.  The letter has a central mailing fold and light soiling and is in very good condition.

HARRY TRUMAN THANKS A WOMAN FOR “THE CLIPPING REGARDING OUR DAUGHTER MARGARET”

HARRY TRUMAN (1884-1972).  Truman was the Thirty-Third President. 

TLS. 1pg. June 16, 1969. Independence, Missouri.  A typed letter signed “Harry S Truman” to Mrs. Coates of Little Silver: “Mrs. Truman and I were glad to have your letter…and the clipping regarding our daughter Margaret.  We appreciate your very kind comments and your thoughtfulness in writing us as you did.”  The original envelope is included.

A SIGNED ENGRAVING OF PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN

HARRY S. TRUMAN (1884-1972).  Truman was the Thirty-Third President. 

PS. July 21, 1964. N.p.  An engraved portrait signed “Harry Truman to Robert A. Flynn 7-21-64”.  The engraving is matted and framed and in fine condition.