PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER - FOUR LANGUAGE SHIPS PAPERS SIGNED 02/02/1842 CO-SIGNED BY: DANIEL WEBSTER - HFSID 5359

JOHN TYLER and DANIEL WEBSTER
John Tyler and Daniel Webster sign four language ship papers.
Four Ship papers signed: "J. Tyler" as 10th U.S. President and "Danl Webster" as Secretary of State, 1p, 20¼x16¼. Washington, but issued from New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1842 February 2. The text is in four columns, each in a different language; from left to right: French, Spanish, English and Dutch. In part: "Be it Known, That leave and permission are hereby given to William Flanders, master or commander of the Barque called Popmunett of the burden of 103 and 52/95 tons, or thereabouts, lying at present in the port of New Bedford bound for Pacific Ocean, and laden with Provisions, Stores and utensils for a whaling voyage, to depart and proceed with the said Barque on his said voyage, such Barque having been visited, and the said Flanders having made oath before the proper officer that the said Barque belongs to one or more of the citizens of the United States of America, and to him or them only...which he at present navigates, is of the United States of America, and that no subjects of the present belligerent Powers have any part or portion therein, directly or indirectly, so may God Almighty help him...." No American ships could sail the open seas without this properly authorized passport. The American sperm-whaling industry had its greatest prosperity from 1820-1850. About 10,000 whales were killed annually. Since much whaling took place in the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco became a major whaling port. Many voyages lasted as long as four to five years; whaling ships sent their whale oil home by cargo ship from time to time and continued whaling. The decline of American sperm-whaling began in 1849 with the California gold rush. Many crew members of whaling ships deserted to seek their fortunes prospecting for gold. On September 9, 1841, five months before this document was issued, President JOHN TYLER had vetoed a bill "to provide for the better collection, safekeeping, and disbursement of the public revenues by means of a corporation to be styled the Fiscal Corporation of the United States." Tyler's Cabinet had favored the bill, and on the day the President vetoed it, Secretary of the Treasury Thomas Ewing, Secretary of War John Bell, Attorney General John J. Crittenden, Postmaster General Francis Granger and Secretary of the Navy George E. Badger resigned. Only Secretary of State DANIEL WEBSTER remained in his post in order to finish the Webster-Ashburton treaty with England (signed August 9, 1842), settling the Maine boundary. It was believed by many of the Whigs that a unanimous resignation of the Cabinet would force President Tyler to resign. The idea came from the British custom of the Prime Minister resigning when his Cabinet did so, but Tyler had no intention of resigning. 2¼-inch diameter paper seal affixed with red wax. Frayed and nicked edges. Lightly creased. Folds, 1 touches the top of the "l" and "e" in Tyler and 1 at the "D" of Danl. Nailhead-size holes at cross folds affect 6 words. Lightly shaded at folds.