$1,000
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500
The Collection of Victor Niederhoffer part II
Auction: September 19, 2019 11:00:00 AM EDT
Columbia [Tennessee], December 15, 1842. 3pp. 4to. Addressed in Polk's hand and with postal hand stamp on verso of second leaf, docketed; light creasing to folds, expertly window mounted. To Col. Samuel H. Laughlin in N. Minnville, Tennessee. The recipient, a fellow Tennessee Democratic politician, served several terms as a Tennessee state senator, "When I reached LaGrange from Mississippi [where Polk owned a plantation], I met the information that the Congressional District Bill had passed. Though full justice was not done to us, still I think we will carry a majority of the Delegation. I am much gratified to see that you are announced in your district, and hope that there will be a perfect union of our party upon you...I gave it as my opinion that candidates should be run in every country...We must rely mainly upon you to have these things attended to, early, in your district. Now is the time for action...Anti-Clay meetings should be held this winter in every county...and their proceedings sent abroad...The issues now before the country are new. The ruinous measures of policy and high toned Federal bearings of our opponents since they have been in power,... cannot command the approval of a majority of our people in any Country in the State..."
Polk, who was to assume the office of President of the United States after the election of 1844, is at the date of the above letter out of elective office but clearly still a powerful and canny political presence. He had served as Governor of Tennessee between 1839 and 1841 after serving in the in the U.S. House of Representatives from March of 1833 to March of 1839 and as a dominating Speaker of the House from December of 1835 to March of 1839. Polk is the only American politician to have served as both Speaker of the House & President of the United States.