Lot 648
Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) 16th President of the United States (1861-1865). Autograph memorandum signed ("A. Lincoln"), as President, one page, 9½ x 7½" (Washington), April 4, 1865. Lincoln responds to a letter from Massachusetts Governor John Andrews, who has sent his confidential secretary, Lt. Col. Browne, to the President with the letter and a copy of an act passed by the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and approved by the Governor, appropriating approximately one million dollars to be expended for the defense of the Massachusetts sea-coast. Andrews would like the cooperation of the Federal Government, "and so far as possible, in furtherance of their matured plans for the defense of the Northern Atlantic sea-board; and the subject of Lieutenant Colonel Browne at Washington is to obtain from yourself and the officers at your cabinet, advice by which I may be guided in this work. I will be very much obliged if you will suggest to me through Col. Browne any place of expenditures which may occur to you as for the best advantage of this State and the nation: and when the work becomes more advanced, I wish to ask from you the detail of an able officer of the staff of the army with whom I may consult in its direction."
Rather than refer the letter to the proper authorities by endorsing it on the verso, as was his wont, Lincoln wrote an entire page in response to Governor Andrew's letter. In full:
"On this general subject, I respectfully refer Mr. Browne to the Secretaries of War and Navy for conference and consultation.
I have a single idea of my own about harbor defense. It is a Steam-ram, built so as to sacrifice nearly all capacity for carrying, to ['that' is marked through and replaced with 'those'] those of speed and strength, so as to be able to split any vessel having hollow enough in her to carry supplies for a voyage of any distance. Such ram, of course, could not herself carry supplies for a ['voag' is crossed out] voyage of considerable distance; and her business would be to guard a particular harbour, as a Bull-dog guards his master's door. A. Lincoln / April 4, 1863 ."
CW, VI, 163
Governor Andrew's letter to President Lincoln is present. Both letters are toned. They are matted and housed in matching frames, each to an overall size of 12½ x 10¼".
Estimated Value $40,000 - 60,000.
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| Realized $34,800 |
