WASHINGTON — The National Archives on Thursday added to its collection a short letter written by President Abraham Lincoln to help an ousted U.S. Mint director who was the son-in-law of a Republican senator.
In the letter, Lincoln asked his Treasury secretary, Salmon Chase, to allow the fired head of the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, Robert Stevens, to review the charges that led to his removal.
Lincoln had appointed Stevens as a favor to Oregon Sen. Edward Baker, the ousted director’s father-in-law.
“This letter, while seemingly routine, is an extremely important key to understanding President Lincoln’s relationship with Sen. Baker,” said James Hastings, director of access programs at the archives. “It shows his interest, even in the midst of the Civil War, in political issues on the West Coast.”
The letter is written on yellowed stationary simply marked Executive Mansion, Washington, with a dashed line where the date — Nov. 14, 1863 — was filled in by hand. This was five days before Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address.
The archives says it was later torn from a bound volume of Chase’s correspondence with government officials. The letter was donated by Lawrence Cutler, a private collector from Scottsdale, Ariz., who says he bought the letter at auction about three years ago.
What the letter says
Text of the letter written by Abraham Lincoln that the National Archives added to its collection Thursday.
Hon. Sec. of Treasury
My dear Sir
Mr. Stevens, late Superintendent of the Mint at San Francisco,
asks to have a copy, or be permitted to examine, and take extracts,
of the evidence upon which he was removed. Please oblige him in one
way or the other.
Yours truly, A. Lincoln
The Associated Press
