JAMES BUCHANAN He signs a "strictly private" autograph letter to a friend discussing whether he would accept the position of Secretary of State if offered it by President-elect Pierce. Political ALS: "James Buchanan", 1 page, 8x10. Wheatland, near Lancaster, 1852 November 23. The future 15th U.S. President writes to Henry Welsh, Esquire. In full: "I have received the Buckwheat flour, & you could have sent me nothing more acceptable. Bye the by, this reminds me that I have never, I believe, paid for the flour I received last year. I hope you will let me know the amount. I have literally no news. I receive letters daily from this & other States urging me strongly to accept the State Department, just as though this were in my power; whilst several of my friends are of a contrary opinion. Should it ever be offered, I shall decide the question deliberately. All my personal wishes are against it, nor can I at present foresee that either my duty to my country or my friends require that I should sacrifice my private inclinations. What is your opinion? All of this is of course strictly private - from your friend. read more...

BILL CLINTON Bill Clinton sends a typed letter of thanks. Typed Letter Signed: "Bill" as President, 1p, 6¾x8¾. The White House, Washington, 1997 February 20. To Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Washington, D.C. In full: "Thank you for writing to describe how the Medal of Freedom was revitalized during the Kennedy Administration - it's a fascinating story. I am proud to bestow this high honor on several exemplary citizens each year. It was altogether fitting to have you in attendance at Senator Dole's ceremony and I enjoyed our brief chat. I will keep in mind your thoughts about the original intent of announcing 'the list' once each year on July 4th." On January 17, 1997, a month earlier, President CLINTON presented BOB DOLE with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Dole's service in World War II and Congress. Clinton had defeated Dole in the 1996 presidential election and would be inaugurated for his second term three days after the ceremony. Dole was clearly touched by the award, but nevertheless he began his remarks with: "I, Robert J. Dole, do solemnly swear..." as laughter erupted in the room. read more...

THOMAS JEFFERSON Edward Church, Consul to Bilbao, Spain, was the first United States consul to be rejected by a foreign port. This 1790 document, signed by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, is Church's commission as United States Consul to Bilbao and the document that started the whole affair Manuscript Letter Signed: "Th: Jefferson" as Secretary of State, 1p, 7¼x8¼. New York, 1790 June 17. To Edward Church, Esq. In full: "Sir, The President of the United States desiring to avail the public of your services as Consul for the Port of Bilboa [sic], I have now the honor of enclosing you the Commission, and of expressing to you the sentiments of perfect esteem with which I am, Sir Your Most obedient and Most humble Servant". On June 4, 1790, in a letter to the U.S. Senate, President Washington nominated 14 Consuls and Vice-Consuls, including "Edward Church, of Massachusetts, to be Consul of the United States of America, for the port of Bilboa [sic] in the kingdom of Spain, and for such parts of read more...

BILL CLINTON This rare and significant letter touches on two of the many scandals of the 42nd U.S. President administration. He handwrote, signed and dated this one-sentence letter in 1993 to Kathleen Willey, who accused him of sexual assault five years later. The letter itself mentions "Vince" - probably Vince Foster, Jr., a colleague of the First Lady. Foster had reportedly committed suicide less than two weeks before this letter was signed Autograph Letter Signed: "Bill". One page. 6½x8½. Written on official White House stationery letterhead. Place: Washington, D. C., Date: July 29, 1993. Addressed to: "Dear Kathleen", his friend (and later accuser), Kathleen Willey. In full: "Thanks for your note about Vince and for your friendship. Best". BILL CLINTON, born William Jefferson Blythe III in Hope, Arkansas in 1946, was Governor of Arkansas (1979-1981, 1983-1992) and the first Democrat reelected President since FDR. read more...

JOHN PAUL JONES The military hero's signature on a 1¾x1 slip of paper. Extremely Rare! Signature: "Jno P Jones" 1¾x1. Scottish-born John Paul Jones (1747-1792) was commissioned a first lieutenant in the new Continental Navy in December 1775. Serving aboard Esek Hopkins' flagship Alfred, Jones was the first to hoist the Grand Union flag on a continental warship. Elevated to Captain, Jones commanded the 12-gun sloop Providence during the summer and fall of 1776, capturing and sinking several British ships. In 1779, now commanding the Bonhomme Richard, a ship loaned by France and named in homage to Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack, Jones raided English shipping and fought his most famous engagement, a long and bloody duel with the superior British frigate Serapis. Refusing English Captain Pearson's request for his surrender, Jones made his famous retort, "I have not yet begun to fight." The Bonhomme Richard was sunk, but Jones won the battle, transferring his command to the vanquished Serapis. In 1781 Jones returned to the U.S. to supervise the formation of the American Navy. In 1788, he accepted service in the Russian navy under Catherine the Great, engaging in several naval battles against the Ottoman Empire. Then, in 1792 he was appointed U.S. read more...

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS Oration inscribed to Cabinet Secretary Crowninshield, delivered the day President Monroe died, July 4, 1831. Speech inscribed and signed: "B.W. Crowninshield Esq/With the Respects of/J.Q. Adams", 40p, 6x9. Signed on the brown cover in the blank area above the title "Mr. Adams' oration". The patriotic speech printed in this pamphlet was delivered by President Monroe's Secretary of State and sixth U.S. President in Quincy, Massachusetts, his hometown, in 1831 on the 4th of July. Unbeknownst to Adams, James Monroe died that day in New York City. Adams later delivered Monroe's eulogy. BENJAMIN CROWNINSHIELD served in Madison's and Monroe's cabinets as Secretary of the Navy and had represented Massachusetts in Congress until 1831, the year Adams returned to Congress. This speech commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the drafting of the Constitution and Adams' opposition to the nullification issue, which he believed to be illegal and dangerous to the Union. At the opening of the speech is a printed history of how it came to be printed, in part: "Quincy, July 6, 1831/Hon. John Q. Adams/Sir,-Agreeably to a vote on the 4th inst. read more...

WARREN G. HARDING Rare signed, 4-page autograph letter to his wife during a vacation with Senate colleagues in Augusta, Georgia, describing the good food and his golf and poker winnings and losses Rare ALS: "W.G.", 4 pages, 6x9½, separate sheets. On pictorial stationery of the Hotel Bon Air, Winter Resort, Augusta, Ga., picturing golfers and motorists. Friday eve, no date but circa 1917-1920. To his wife, Florence. In full: "Am tired tonight. Played 36 holes again today - a foursome over the hill course this morning and two threesomes in match play over the Lake course this p.m. Made a good score this morning and gathered in $17.50. Played like a dub this pm and lost $12.50. Only five to the good for the day. We had poker last night. I fared well. No complaint to make. My luck came back for one evening. We see very little of Mrs. Frelinghuysen - only at lunch. She breakfasts and dines in her room, and spends her time with the nurse. So far as I can observe, she sees little of Joe except when he sleeps. Really we are busy all the while. We go to golf after breakfast, return for lunch, start again at 5, and get in time for a bath, then dinner. After dinner & scribble you a line, then it is cards till bed time, and so it goes. read more...

JAMES MADISON and JAMES MONROE As war with Britain looms (1812), the President and Secretary of State sign the papers of an American merchant ship bound for France with a valuable cargo. Partly Printed DS: "James Madison" as President, "Jas Monroe" as Secretary of State and "David Gelston" as Collector of Customs of the Port of New York, 1 page, 20½x16½. Signed in Washington, but issued from New York, 1812 January 18. The text is in four columns, each in a different language; from left to right: French, Spanish, English and Dutch. A four-language ship's paper for the brig Don Roderick under the command of Davis G. Gillies, bound for Bordeaux from New York, "Laden with Cocoa, Coffee, Sugar, Pepper, Cotton, Tea, Mahogany Oil...." No American ships could sail the open seas without this properly authorized passport, and ships still faced problems. If an American ship was sailing to a European port under French control, as the Don Roderick was bound for Bordeaux, France, it could be seized by a British ship if it had not called at a British port. read more...

JAMES A. GARFIELD Garfield, as President, signed the day before his 1881 assassination Right portion of a blank check signed: "J.A. Garfield", 4½x2¾. Washington, D.C., 188_. Riggs & Co. check most probably signed as President. Left edge ragged. Horizontal fold crease above signature. Otherwise, fine condition. Accompanied by: a handwritten note of provenance by S. W. Cowles, which reads, "This check was signed by Genl. Garfield at the White House in Washington, D.C. July 1st/81, the day before his assassination. It was present [sic] to me by Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield at Mentor, Ohio, Oct. 1881." Lightly toned and soiled. Otherwise, fine condition. The fact that this check is neither filled out nor dated, coupled with the fact that we have had completed checks of the same type filled out by another and signed by Garfield, indicates that President Garfield signed blank checks that were later to be filled out. This check was probably torn in half after he died to protect it from being used by an unauthorized party or, more likely, to be given by Mrs. Garfield to admirers of her late husband requesting his autograph. Garfield (1831-1881) rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. read more...