PRESIDENT JAMES BUCHANAN - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 06/26/1831 - HFSID 253486

JAMES BUCHANAN
An autographed and signed handwritten letter to Martin Van Buren, introducing locomotive builder William Norris, who was headed to New York.
ALS: "James Buchanan", 1p, 8x9½. Lancaster, 1831 June 26. To Martin Van Buren. In full: "I take the liberty of introducing to you my friend & fellow townsman William Norris esquire who is about to pay a visit to the North & expects to pass through Albany. He is anxious to make your acquaintance & is in every respect worthy of your esteem. Any attentions which you may think proper to bestow upon him will be gratefully remembered." Integral address leaf in Buchanan's hand: "Hon. Martin Van Buren/Albany" with "Wm Norris Esq" penned in lower left of address panel. Docket not in Van Buren's hand. On June 25, 1831, the day before Buchanan wrote him this letter, VAN BUREN was appointed by President Jackson as U.S. Minister to Great Britain. Van Buren had been Governor of New York for just ten weeks when he resigned on March 12, 1829 to become Jackson's Secretary of State. He resigned from the Cabinet on May 23, 1831 and sailed to London. He had to return the following winter when the U.S. Senate rejected his nomination on January 25, 1832. Buchanan had served five terms in Congress (1821-1831) when he decided not to seek reelection. This letter was written during his short period of retirement. Then President Jackson, a personal friend, requested Buchanan serve his nation as U.S. Minister to Russia. After concluding a treaty of commerce, the chief object of his mission, Buchanan returned to his home in Lancaster in November 1833. In 1834, he was elected to the U.S. Senate to succeed William Wilkins, whom President Jackson had conveniently appointed to succeed Buchanan as Minister to Russia, thereby creating a vacancy. WILLIAM NORRIS (1802-1867) most probably was the locomotive builder who with engineer Colonel Stephen Long, built an anthracite burning locomotive. Eventually Norris alone built a world reknown locomotive in the early days of train building. He lived and worked in the Philadelphia area. Buchanan was from Lancaster. Letters between U.S. Presidents are very desirable. Letters between future Presidents rarely appear on the market. Lightly penned. Lightly creased, vertical crease touches "e" in James. Soiled at blank right edge. Overall, fine condition.