PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 4991

JOHN TYLER
The President discusses political appointments with the Secretary of the Treasury.
Autograph Letter Signed: "J. Tyler" probably as 10th U.S. President, 1p, 7x10. To Mr. Spencer, probably John C. Spencer, Tyler's Secretary of the Treasury. No place or date but probably written between March 3, 1843 to May 2, 1844, the period in which Spencer served as Secretary of the Treasury. In full: "The letters are right if you can saunter upon such delicate ground - and yet we must have friends in whom to confide. Are you not mistaken in assigning Milwaukee to Halpinstein? My understanding with the Judge was, that his brother should have Mineral Point and a friend Milwaukee - but it may be that Mineral Point was already filled - in which event you are right." Great content relating to political appointments. SPENCER had also served as Tyler's Secretary of War from October 12, 1841 to March 3, 1843, but in view of the content, it seems more likely that Treasury Department appointments are being discussed in this letter. Mineral Point is a small town in southwestern Wisconsin, about 25 miles north of the Illinois border and 32 miles northeast of the Mississippi River and the Iowa border. JOHN TYLER was an unpopular President. He had been a Democrat most of his political life and supported President Jackson for reelection in 1832. After the death of President Harrison, the Whigs, with a majority in both houses, regarded Senator Henry Clay as their leader. As a result, Tyler had few influential friends in political positions, thus his comment: "we must have friends in whom to confide." He became President because he happened to be Vice President, the first time an incumbent died in office. As a result, he was called "His Accidency" by both Democrats and Whigs. Tyler was true to Jeffersonian Republican ideals at a time when the Whig platform of nationalism and pro-business was popular. As a result, his presidential decisions were unpopular. Tyler retained all of his predecessor's Cabinet. On September 11, 1841, two days after he had vetoed legislation for a new national bank for a second time, the entire Cabinet, except for Secretary of State Daniel Webster, resigned in protest. Mounting remnant runs along right edge of verso and shows through to blank margin. Folds, 1 vertical touches the "J" in signature, else fine condition.