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94

James Monroe and John Quincy Adams

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,000.00 - 2,500.00 USD
James Monroe and John Quincy Adams

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Auction Date:2012 Apr 18 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Partly-printed vellum DS, signed “James Monroe” as president and “John Quincy Adams” as secretary of state, one page, 10 x 15, May 8, 1821. Scalloped-top ship’s pass issued to the “Brig Nancy of New York David Matthews master or commander of the burthen of one hundred Eighty six 50/95 tons or thereabouts mounted with no guns navigated with Nine men To Pass with her Company Passengers Goods and Merchandize without any hinderance seisure or molestation the said Brig appearing by good testimony to belong to one or more of the Citizens of the United States and to him or them only.”

Reverse bears two handwritten endorsements signed by Deputy Collector John Kearny: “District & Port of New York Novr 1st 1821. I Certify that the within Vessel mounts Two Guns. Jno Kearny DColl” and “District & Port of New York Decr 21st 1822. I Certify that the within named Brig is navigated with Eleven men & Mounts Four Guns. Jno Kearny DC.” An advertisement from the September 18, 1826, edition of the Connecticut Courant [photocopy present] notes that S. & W. Kellogg are selling “100 Hhds Jamaica Rum” and “1,000 Lb. Old Copper. Landing from Brig Nancy.” This would indicate that the Nancy was doing business in the Caribbean. Intersecting folds, one through a single letter of Monroe’s signature, scattered creases and wrinkles, handwritten portions of document light, but legible, scattered toning and moderate soiling, and rippling to lower portion, otherwise very good condition. The large paper seal is lightly worn and toned, but intact.

Following the defeat of the British at the end of the War of 1812, America turned its sights towards protecting its trade from pirates. Serving as both secretary of state and secretary of war under Madison, Monroe was instrumental in shifting this focus and successfully winning the Second Barbary War, ending American exposure to piracy in the Mediterranean. As president, he continued fighting to protect American merchant ships from pirates, this time in the West Indies. Monroe and Adams signed this document authorizing the Brig Nancy to utilize and sail from American ports. Illustrating the danger of piracy during this time and in response to the recent killing of crews and burning of ships by pirates, the addition of two and then four cannons to the ship before it sailed to the Caribbean makes it clear that American merchants were no longer willing to allow themselves to be the victims of pirate attacks. To further protect American shipping interests Monroe passed an 1820 act to allow the Navy to protect its merchant marine and by 1821, six U.S. Navy ships were also assigned to anti-piracy operations in the West Indies followed by the December 22, 1822 bill which sanctioned the construction of additional vessels to eradicate piracy, strengthening the protection of the citizens and commerce of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico' while signaling the demise of piracy in the Caribbean.
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