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ALS from Rufus King, Signer, 

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:225.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 400.00 USD
ALS from Rufus King, Signer, 

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Auction Date:2009 Jun 24 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Location:6270 Este Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45232, United States
1p, 7.5 x 7.75", New York, 19 March 1804. To William Eustis, in Washington (DC), informing him that he is enclosing letters for Mr. Gore (Christopher) to him and asking him to forward them to Gore.

Rufus King (1755-1827) was a lawyer, statesman, and politician. Born in Scarborough, Maine (then Massachusetts), King graduated from Harvard in 1777 and began studying law. The following year he enlisted in the Continental Army and served as an aide to General Sullivan. He returned to his legal apprenticeship and was admitted to the bar in 1780. His political career began in the Massachusetts state legislature in 1783. He was sent to the Confederation Congress from 1784 - 1787, where he was the youngest member, and then to the Constitutional Convention. After the Constitution was ratified, King worked for a Senate seat. Unsuccessful, his friend Alexander Hamilton suggested he move to New York, which he did. When a dispute over one of that state's Senate seats erupted, Governor Clinton suggested King as a compromise candidate. He was elected, representing New York for the next six years, and again from 1813 - 1825. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Vice President (1804, 1808) and President (1816 - the last Federalist candidate), and Governor of New York (1816). But he was a successful and influential diplomat, playing a major role as Minister to Britain from 1796 to 1803, and 1825-1826, building some friendly relations with the "motherland." Hostilities began in 1805 after King's departure. In the "what if" department, King might have been able to prevent the second revolution (1812) had he remained in Britain rather than vying for office here.

Christopher Gore (1758-1827) was another Massachusetts politician. Graduating from Harvard the year before King, the two men may well have met there. They seem to have remained friends for the rest of their lives, since King named one of his sons James Gore King. Gore died less then two months before King. William Eustis (1753-1825) was a physician (Harvard 1772) and Congressman from Massachusetts who served as an Army surgeon during the Revolutionary War. Another Massachusetts native, besides several Congressional seats, he also held several judgeships, was Secretary of War in Madison's cabinet, and held a diplomatic appointment to the Netherlands. 

Condition: Small tear where wax seal broken, expected folds, else fine.