JAMES BUCHANAN. Historically Important Third Person ALS: "Mr. Buchanan", 1p, 8x10. (Washington), 1845 March 25. In full: "Mr. Buchanan presents his respects to Mr. Wickliffe & requests him to call at the State Department as soon as may suit his convenience." JAMES BUCHANAN was Polk's Secretary of State from 1845-1849. CHARLES A. WICKLIFFE (1788-1869) had served as a Jacksonian Democrat in Congress (1823-1833), Governor of Kentucky (1839-1840) and Tyler's Postmaster General (1841-1845). Shortly after Buchanan wrote this letter, Wickliffe was appointed by President Polk as his confidential agent in Texas. The joint resolution offering Texas statehood in the Union had been passed, and the President had received information that led him to believe that the ministers of Great Britain and France in Texas were exerting themselves to defeat annexation. Wickliffe was instructed to go to Texas to counteract the contemplated interference and to urge upon the Texan authorities the desirability of accepting speedily the offer of annexation. Reaching Texas early in May 1845, Wickliffe traveled around the republic extolling the advantages of statehood. He associated himself with the anti-Jones faction, which assumed that Texas President Anson Jones was trying to defeat annexation. This did not please Andrew Jackson Donelson, the American chargé d'affaires, and it aroused the resentment of Anson Jones. However, public sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of annexation and Wickliffe witnessed the approval of it by the Convention of 1845. On December 29, 1845, Texas was admitted as the 28th state. Creased with folds, vertical fold touches the "B" in Buchanan. Light ink transfer at lower blank area. Overall, fine condition.