14

John Tyler

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:800.00 - 1,200.00 USD
John Tyler

Bidding Over

The auction is over for this lot.
The auctioneer wasn't accepting online bids for this lot.

Contact the auctioneer for information on the auction results.

Search for other lots to bid on...
Auction Date:2014 Dec 10 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, 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
LS as president, five pages on three ribbon-bound sheets, 7.75 x 9.75, July 11, 1842. Letter to Lewis Cass, who was serving as US minister to France. In full: "Col. William Robinson who will hand you this, has been deputed by the Secretary of the Treasury, to negociate in Europe so much of the Loan authorized by a late Act of Congress, as remains unsubscribed for. I recommend him to your particular kindness and attention and express the wish, that you will give him all aid, in the accomplishment of his Mission, which you can possibly afford him. He is a citizen of Pennsylvania, resident at Pittsburg, a man of fortune and of the best deserved reputation and character.

I take occasion to say, that so favorable an opportunity of investing his funds to the limited extent desired, has rarely ever been offered to the European Capitalist. To you it is scarcely necessary to portray the true character of our resources. The present embarrassment, in our opinion is altogether temporary and ephemeral, and proceeds from the rapid diminution in the amount of duties, upon all articles of import, consequent upon the Act of Congress of 1833, commonly known as the Compromise Act, which has been reduced from 200 per cent, on many articles of import to 20 percent ad valorem. This state of things must necessarily be temporary, and can exist no longer than the present Tariff shall continue in operation. By the express stipulations of the Act of 1833, Congress has full authority to increase the duties at any time that the wants of the Treasury shall require. That this will be done during the present Session, there can be no reasonable ground to doubt. A great Nation then, altogether out of debt, with its resources in the infancy of their development, and which has paid off the debt of two wars, seeks to borrow some Ten millions of Dollars. I do not permit myself to doubt but that the Capitalist of Europe will eagerly seize the opportunity of taking the Stock. I know the American securities are generally at a low ebb in Europe, arising from the indebtedness of the States, produced during a period of inordinate speculations. But this Government, is altogether different in the character of its resources from the States; while the sacredness of its engagements has never been for a moment questioned.

The amount of the debt which she seeks to fund does not exceed the amount of a single years revenue, even under the present moderate system of duties. I am also aware that every effort has been made, to impress the European mind, with the idea that this country is faithless to its engagements, and that the doctrine of repudiation is current among our people. Nothing ever was more false or unfounded. Mississippi has declared that she would not discharge certain bonds, not on any principle of bad faith, but upon the ground that fraud was practised in the negociation and that she is neither legally or morally bound to meet their payment. I offer no opinion as to her liability in a legal point of view—and only design to state the ground of her actions. Indiana and probably other states, may have failed to pay the interest on their debts, not in any spirit of bad faith, but from present inability. You are aware of the rapid development of the resources of the New States, and that altho' a present inability to pay exists, it is likely to be only temporary. The repudiation of debts, may be contemplated by one person in one thousand of our population, and by no more, and if an opinion so extremely limited, is to influence the credit of this Government, remarkable as it has been, though, the whole course of its history, for punctuality, in meeting its engagements, what should be the condition of England with more than 3,000,000 of its people going up by petition to Parliament, and asking repudiation and cancellation of the National debt.

Another idea I learn exists in Europe and that is that the holders of the State Stocks by refusing to take our loan, can compel us, as a condition of our doing so, to assume the payment of the State debts. This idea if it prevails, is supremely ridiculous. This Government resorts to a Loan merely to supply a temporary deficit. You will know that its resources are immense. Unlike the people of other countries her citizens are strangers to any system of direct taxation, so that the whole of the property of the Country, which is liable to be taxed, is untouched by this Government. The effort, if one exists, to constrain us to assume State debts is altogether delusive. If the holder of State Stocks pursued his true interest, he would step forward without the loss of a moment, and assist in placing this central Treasury, in a vigorous and healthful State—and thus perform the part of a good Physician, who when the animal system is out of order, restores the regular pulsation of the heart, with full knowledge that when that is done, the extremities will speedily become healthful and vigorous.

May I solicit your best efforts, by making correct representations of the whole case, in aid of Col Robinson? You will thereby render the country an essential service, and be entitled to my thanks." In fine condition, with a couple trivial stains to the first page; all writing and the signature itself are beautifully penned and extremely bold.

At this time the American economy was still recovering from a depression stemming from the Panic of 1837, and the government had been running a deficit in order to support itself. Tyler mentions that the tariff, a chief source of revenue for the federal government, had been reduced in the Compromise Tariff of 1833 and the subsequent loss of revenue was severely affecting the financial stability of the government. Meanwhile, the US Treasury issued bonds in order to raise funds but was having difficulty selling them—as states that had issued bonds during the 1830s reneged on their obligations American credit suffered, and European investors were hesitant to continue funding a potentially unstable financial product. In this letter to Cass, Tyler explains the circumstances surrounding the domestic financial crisis at both state and federal levels, hoping that this information would assuage any French skepticism in purchasing American securities. A fascinating and lengthy presidential letter at a time of financial crisis.