Harrison, (President) Benjamin

Benjamin Harrison, Newly Elected President, TLS Regarding Official Appointments and the "load of distress that I carry resulting from the fact that so many friends are being disappointed"

2pp TLS signed by sitting 23rd U.S. President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) as "Benj Harrison" at the center of the second page, and also inscribed by him as "Personal" in the upper left corner of the first page. Written at the White House in Washington, D.C. on October 19, 1889. On watermarked cream "Executive Mansion / Washington" letterhead. Moderate toning to the first page, and isolated discoloration. Expected folds, else very good to near fine. 8" x 10.5".

Indianapolis resident W.H. Smith had lobbied President Harrison to grant his brother an appointment as Postmaster of Peru, Indiana. An adopted Hoosier, Harrison had lived in Indianapolis since the 1850s and probably personally knew the applicant and the applicant's family. Despite these close ties, Smith's brother was not given the appointment.

In explaining his decision, President Harrison wrote in part:

"I told you at Deer Park how the Peru post office matter presented itself to me upon the official papers and upon such outside information as came to me… I opened the Peru case with the feeling that if upon the papers I could do so your brother's appointment was one that I would be glad to make. I was fully aware of the feeling that you speak of as to appointments at Peru, and took that into account in weighing the case. I tried to get absolutely impartial information from several friends outside of the immediate contention…

Now as to your suggestion that something else may be found for your brother I can only say that I hope so…Every day that I am here and every appointment I dispose of only adds to the load of distress that I carry resulting from the fact that so many friends are being disappointed. I do not blame them, even for the unkind and severe things that some of them say. It is quite natural. Probably I should have said those things if our places had been reversed…"

Just six months into his first and only presidential term (1889-1893), President Harrison struggled under the weighty responsibility of granting presidential appointments. He was flooded with requests for favors and earmarks. Yet during an era of increasing political reform, Harrison's appointments were under intense scrutiny. He had run on a campaign platform advocating for merit-based promotion and civil service reform. Now that he was president, Harrison had to deliver candidates selected by qualification and not by the spoils system.

Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of 9th U.S. President William Henry Harrison (1773-1841). Indiana featured prominently in Benjamin's future military and political career. Harrison served as a Colonel of the 70th Indiana Volunteers during the Civil War, seeing action in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, and eventually reaching the rank of brevet brigadier general of volunteers in the Union Army. After the war, Harrison became increasingly interested in state politics. He represented Indiana in the U.S. Senate between 1881 and 1887. Harrison was the Republican presidential candidate in 1888, serving one term in between Democratic Grover S. Cleveland's two terms.

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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