James Garfield ALS With Political Content: "Perhaps we were a little over confident and needed this check to make us work well"

A 1p autograph letter signed by James A. Garfield (1831-1881), future 20th U.S. President, as "J A Garfield" at lower right. The letter on "Mentor Ohio" letterhead is dated September 15, [n.y.] A blue colored pencil checkmark appears in the margin of the fifth line, and it is docketed verso. Expected wear including paper folds and gentle overall soiling. Isolated discoloration and minor repairs to closed tears found verso, else very good. 8" x 10."

James A. Garfield wrote to a correspondent named Baker, in full, with untouched spelling and punctuation:

"Sept 15th

My dear Baker:

Yours of the 11th inst came duly to hand. Please have the engine put in good condition and shipped to Mentor via L.S. and MS RR. Please also be good enough to send any directions which you think necessary to come with it.

I hope the news from Maine will not discourage our friend from [illegible] persecution of the campaign. Perhaps we were a little over confident and needed this check to make us work well.

With kindest regard

I am

Very truly your

JA Garfield

Hon HR. Baker
Racine Wis."

Garfield was an Ohio delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1863 and 1880. During his tenure, Garfield wrestled with issues like emancipation, Reconstruction, the gold standard, Andrew Johnson’s impeachment trial, federal corruption, and congressional salaries. In this letter, Garfield refers to an unidentified politician from Maine. The politician was probably a fellow Republican.

Garfield's correspondent may have been R.H. Baker (we suspect he may have accidentally transposed Baker's initials in the addressee's name below.) Robert Hall Baker (1839-1882) served as the Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin from 1874-1875, a tenure that spanned several 1-year-long terms in the Wisconsin State Senate. Baker would serve as Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin from 1880-1881, during which time he lobbied for James A. Garfield as president.

Also in the letter, Garfield may have been discussing the shipment of an engine to Lawnfield, the estate he owned in Mentor, Ohio after 1876. He proposed that Baker transport it to him via the Long Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, a system opened in 1839 and eventually connecting Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to western New York. Racine, Wisconsin is approximately 430 miles to the west of Mentor, Ohio.

Garfield served as president between March and September 1881.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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