WOODROW WILSON As President he signed and dated this hardbound copy of his speech to a joint session of congress requesting a Declaration of War on Germany. Book signed: "Woodrow Wilson/1 August, 1920" as President on first flyleaf, 16 pages, 8x12¼, hardcover. Address of the President of the United States Delivered at a Joint Session of the Two Houses of Congress April 2, 1917, privately printed in 1918. The complete text of President Wilson's speech requesting that Congress declare war on Germany and her allies. On April 6, four days after Wilson delivered this "War Message", Congress overwhelmingly passed the War Resolution that brought the U.S. into WWI. In part: "The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them…. read more...

JAMES MADISON, CO-SIGNED BY: JAMES MONROE, JOHN GILL, JAMES H. MCCULLOCH 21x16½ ship's papers for the brig Julia, bound from Baltimore to Lisbon in 1812, signed by Madison as U.S. president and Monroe as Secretary of State Four language ships papers signed "James Madison" as U.S. President, "James Monroe" as Secretary of State, "James M McCulloch" and "John Gill Not. Pub".1 page, 21x16½, with paper 2 ¾-inch Great Seal of the United States and Gill's paper 1¾-inch notary seal affixed on left. Issued at Baltimore, Maryland, Oct. 15, 1812. Four language ship's papers (French, Spanish, English, Dutch) issued to: "Tristram Luce master or commander of the Brig called Julia... lying at present in the port of Baltimore bound for Lisbon and laden with Flour, Indian Corn and Bread for Lisbon..." Brigs were sailing ships with two masts and square sails. The rear sail is the mainsail and has a small fore-and-aft sail to improve maneuverability. Brigs were developed during the 17th century but saw their heyday in the 19th century. 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...

ON HIS LAST DAY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, A REFLECTIVE TRUMAN THANKS A TRUSTED AIDE WHO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN HIS FAMOUS UPSET VICTORY OF 1948. HARRY TRUMAN Typed Letter signed: "Harry Truman", 1p, 7x8¾ with blank integral leaf. Washington, D.C., 1953 January 19. On White House letterhead to Donald S. Dawson, Administrative Assistant to the President, The White House. In full: "I want you to know, before I leave the White House, how grateful I am for your extremely loyal assistance. I remember very well how, in my search for a topnotch personnel advisor in the Government, I found a fellow Missourian in you. You have demonstrated consistently your knowledge and ability in the Government personnel field and deserve the thanks of all of us for your efforts to promote the merit system in the United States Government. You are entitled to pride for your assistance to me in the selection of individuals for Presidential appointments, your efforts to modernize the federal compensation system, especially the Classification Act of 1949 and the Executive Pay Bill, your read more...

THOMAS JEFFERSON and JAMES MADISON With Anglo-American tensions at a fever pitch due to British seizure of American merchant ships, Jefferson as President, and Madison as Secretary of State, sign ship's papers for a brig bound for Marseilles. This ship and its captain would be seized three years later - by the French! Four Language Ship's Papers signed: "Th: Jefferson", "James Madison", 1 page, 19¾x16¼, matted and framed to 25½x22. Washington, D.C., 1807 May 21. Papers issued to Henry Latham, "master and commander of the Brig called the Canton … lying at present at the port of New York bound for Marseilles and laden with Sugar - Wine - Coffee - Ginger - Pimento - Indigo - Beeswax - Nankins [a small breed of chicken] - Tobacco - and Logwood". These papers were signed at a critical moment in U.S. relations with Britain. In 1806, determined to weaken Napoleonic France, Britain had announced a blockade of French ports. Under this order, U.S. merchant ships were liable to seizure - 1,000 would be seized - and the crews subject to impressment in the Royal Navy. read more...

JOHN F. KENNEDY Signed memo as President to General Maxwell Taylor (July 10, 1961), concerning the search to replace CIA Director Allen Dulles in the wake of the Bay of Pigs fiasco Memorandum signed: "JFK" as President, 1 page, 6¾x8¾. (Washington), 1961 July 10. Memorandum for General [Maxwell] Taylor, in full: "Would you talk to Allen Dulles about Fowler Hamilton and if he feels he is good would you ask Gilpatric, who comes from New York to check on him. If all of the reports come up good arrange for me to see him towards the end of the week." Pencil note in upper right, possibly in Taylor's hand: "Done. Reported orally 12 July". During the 1960 Presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy had attacked the Eisenhower administration and his opponent, Vice President Richard Nixon, for allowing the emergence of a communist regime in Cuba. Upon becoming President, JFK learned that plans for an invasion of Cuba by CIA-trained Cuban exiles were already underway. That operation, known as the Bay of Pigs invasion (April 17, 1961) was a dismal failure. Many Cuban exiles and CIA officers blamed Kennedy for the failure, because he had refused to sanction air support by US Air Force planes. read more...

JAMES EARL "JIMMY" CARTER Typed, unsigned speech with handwritten corrections read by Carter during his 1976 presidential bid in a predominantly black part of Los Angeles County. Typed speech unsigned, with handwritten corrections in black and blue ink. 8 pages, 8½x11. This speech was read during Carter's 1976 presidential run at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, now Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. The hospital is located an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County near the Watts neighborhood, site of the Watts Riots of 1965, and the city of Compton, which had one of the highest concentrations of blacks - over 90 percent - in the United States at the time. Needless to say, Carter focused on race relations in this speech, specifically the impact of the civil rights movement. Carter and his running mate Walter Mondale ran against Republican candidates Gerald Ford, the incumbent, and Bob Dole, in 1976. Ford been appointed president in 1974 after the resignations of president Richard Nixon during Watergate and vice president Spiro Agnew and was the first person appointed president under the 25th amendment, which had been ratified less than 10 years earlier. read more...

JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS She has penned (but not signed) this very moving reminiscence of "happy summer evenings at the Cape … eating Mathilda's fish chowder" with JFK and his father, when "touched by destiny" was thought to mean "only happy things." Autograph Manuscript unsigned but with "Kennedy" twice in text, 1 page, 8x12½. No place, no date but written in the 1960s. In full: "4. Now Mr Kennedy is sick and Jack is gone. Mr Kennedy had seen Jack nearly die so many times. He used to say that Jack was touched by destiny. But those were happy summer evenings at the Cape when he came there, when we were all eating Mathilda's fish chowder - and you thought that meant only happy things - to be touched by destiny. Dear Grandpa - you brought all the joy to my life - more than one should dare to hope to have - and because of that - all the pain. I will remember you - and I will love you until I die." Born Jacqueline Bouvier in 1929, Jackie married John F. Kennedy in 1953. read more...

GEORGE W. BUSH 11x14 color publicity photograph of New York City firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein planting the American flag in 20 feet of rubble at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. Photograph signed: "George W Bush". Color, 8x10, matted to 11x14. Depicts New York City firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein planting the American flag in 20 feet of rubble at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. ©2001, The Record (Bergen County, N.J.). Photograph by Thomas E. Franklin, Staff Photographer. This photograph, which has been compared to the 1945 image of the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, was taken by Franklin at 5:01 p.m. on September 11th, and first appeared in "The Record" on September 12. The photograph won numerous awards and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for the photographer, who was later invited to the White House by President Bush to view a postage stamp featuring Franklin's photograph. Fine condition. Matted, not in Gallery of History style. Not reviewed by us for conservation integrity. "As is" matting purchase. read more...