Preston King 1861 letter to Samuel W. Pennypacker well known autograph seeker of the time. King was a U.S. Senator from New York 1857-1863. An ardent supporter of future President Andrew Johnson committed suicide, jumped off a ferry and drowned in the Hoboken River with a bag of nails around his neck, November 12, 1865 after accepting 3 months earlier from Johnson the appointment to Collector of the Port of New York (the country's biggest political patronage plum). Mary Todd Lincoln always thought that Johnson had an understanding with the conspirators about the assassination of her husband. King did play a role in the unsuccessful attempt to save conspirator Mary Surratt from hanging

Very good, wear consistent with age and use