Perry, Matthew C.:

$3,000 · Offered by William Reese Company

[TWO AUTOGRAPH LETTERS, SIGNED, FROM COMMODORE MATTHEW C. PERRY TO HIS NEPHEW, JAMES DeWOLF PERRY, CONCERNING A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT]. Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) writes to his nephew, James DeWolf Perry, concerning a political appointment James had asked his uncle to help him obtain. Both letters are accompanied by James Perry's retained drafts of the letters to which the Commodore is responding. In the first letter, dated February 15, Perry writes that he will do all he can to secure the position in question, but will have to wait until the new administration has settled in:"I will write to my friend and neighbour Col. Webb who is now in Washington; he remains there until after the inauguration; he is one of the leading and most influential Taylor men, and will doubtless be disposed to advocate your interest. There is one thing however that will be necessary to prove and that is your political position, in the state. I am no party man myself, having always abstained from voting excepting and only one instance many years ago to support a personal friend, but I feel assured that the offices will all be given to Whigs or those that profess to be of that party. You had therefore better inform me that I may so mention it in my letter to Col. Webb, whether you are a good and available Whig; otherwise I doubt whether you would have any chance of succeeding."It seems, however, that actions were not fast enough. In the second letter, dated April 7, Perry writes th

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