Wm. Preston Imp. Civil War Letter 1860 "parties are irreconcilably divided" Superb Content

Autograph Letter Signed, "W. Preston", 4pp, on bifold stationery measuring 5.25" x 8", "Steamer Canada", August 17, 1860. Expected folds and light creases. Wear along central vertical fold with chip at bottom, not affecting text. Toning and soiling. A bit of ink smudging. In very good plus condition.

Provenance: A. Lincoln Book Shop, Alexander Autographs, sold at October 24, 1999 auction for $540.

In part: "There is great disorder in the United States. Parites are irreconcilably divided, by issues of incommensurate importance, & there is a great real danger in my opinion, than at any former epoch. There is no longer violence, rage...but the apathy that proceeds death."

William Preston (1816-1887) was an American lawyer, politician, and ambassador. He attended Yale College in 1835 and graduated from the law department of Harvard University in 1838, after which he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Louisville, Kentucky in 1839. Preston served as lieutenant colonel of the 4th Kentucky Volunteers in the Mexican-American War from 1847 to 1848. After the war, he was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in 1849 and a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1850. Subsequently, he served in the State senate from 1851 to 1853.

Although his home state of Kentucky did not secede from the Union, Preston would serve the South. In November 1861, the provisional government for Kentucky appointed he, Henry C. Burnett and William E. Simms as commissioners to treat with the Confederates States government for the admission of Kentucky into the Confederacy. Shortly thereafter, Preston was made a colonel and became volunteer aide-de-camp to his brother-in-law, Albert Sidney Johnston, who then had his Army of Central Kentucky quartered at Bowling Green. Preston subsequently attained the rank of brigadier general in 1862. He was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the Confederacy to Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico in 1864.
After the war, he again served as a member of the Kentucky State House of Representatives in 1868 and 1869.

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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