LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Apr Books, Manuscripts & Autographs #658  / 

25098

Grover Cleveland Excellent Political ALS

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 800.00 USD
Grover Cleveland Excellent Political ALS
<B>Grover Cleveland Excellent Political Autograph Letter Signed</B></I>: Writing a week after he is nominated for President at his third consecutive convention, the former President hopes this time he will win Indiana again. When he won Indiana in 1884, he won the presidency; in 1888, he lost both.<BR><BR>Signed: "<I>Grover Cleveland</B></I>" between his presidential terms, one page, 4.5" x 6.75". Gray Gables, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, July 1, 1892. To Hon. William H. English. In full: "<I>My dear Sir, I desire to acknowledge with thanks the friendliness and devotion exhibited by both you and your Son during the canvass for the Presidential nomination. I feel exceedingly anxious that the State of Indiana shall be in his proper place next November. Yours truly.</B></I>"<BR><BR>In 1884, Democrat Grover Cleveland was elected President over Republican James Blaine, 219-182 electoral votes, winning 20 states to James Blaine's 18. Cleveland was Governor of New York and his running mate, Thomas A. Hendricks, was a former Governor of Indiana. Both New York and Indiana voted Democratic. If they had gone Republican as they had in 1880, Blaine would have won. In 1888, to strengthen their support in those two states, the Republicans nominated former Indiana Senator Benjamin Harrison for President and former New York Congressman Levi P. Morton for Vice President. President Cleveland, seeking reelection, won the same states he had won in 1884, except Indiana and New York which went Republican. Harrison was elected. If Cleveland had won those two states, he would have been reelected. It was now 1892. In June, President Harrison was renominated with a new Vice Presidential candidate, Whitelaw Reid, longtime editor of the <I>New York Tribune.</B></I> Two weeks later, the Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland for the third consecutive time, with former Illinois Congressman Adlai E. Stevenson as his running mate.<BR><BR>In this letter, a week after he was nominated at the Democratic National Convention held in Chicago, June 21-23, 1892, Grover Cleveland writes former Indiana Congressman William H. English, the 1880 Democratic candidate for Vice President, that he feels "<I>exceedingly anxious that the State of Indiana shall be in his proper place next November.</B></I>" Whenever Cleveland won Indiana, he won the election. Cleveland thanks him and his son, former Indiana Congressman William E. English, a delegate to the 1892 convention, for campaigning for his nomination. In November, Cleveland defeated Harrison in Indiana, 262,740 to 255, 615 popular votes. He won Indiana and the election to become the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms.<BR><BR><B>William H. English</B></I> (1822-1896) was a Democratic Congressman from Indiana from 1853-1861. He ran unsuccessfully for Vice President in 1880 on the Democratic ticket headed by General Winfield S. Hancock. With two photographs of English.<BR><BR><B>William E. English</B></I> (1850-1926) was a Democratic Congressman from Indiana from 1884-1885. He was a delegate to the 1892 and 1896 Democratic National Conventions. He became a Republican in 1900 and later served in the Indiana State Senate (1917-1926).<BR><BR>This historically significant political letter, written by a former and future U.S. President, is in extra fine condition. It would make a superb addition to a political or presidential collection. <I>From the Gary Grossman Collection.</B></I><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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