Beschreibung:

Lot of approximately 70 documents related to 19th century Alabama. Spanning 1812 to 1912, the majority of documents are dated between the 1830s and 1850s. Includes correspondence, militia documents, court records, indenture documents, bankruptcy records, land surveys and more. Contains an 1835 land grant with Andrew Jackson secretary signature, 1854 land grant with Franklin Pierce secretary signature, and an 1883 land grant with Chester A. Arthur secretary signature. Gubernatorial signatures are also present on a 1912 county commissioner certificate by 34th Alabama Governor Emmet O’Neal (1853-1922) and a 1938 indictment of an Alabamian counterfeiter signed by Maryland Governor Thomas Veazey (1774-1842). Of particular note is a letter dated June 5, 1848 from then Alabama congressman and future Alabama governor George S. Houston (1811-1879) to the sitting Alabama governor, fellow Democrat Reuben Chapman (1799-1882). The fascinating letter provides candid details about the 1848 nominations for both the Democratic and Whig parties during the tumultuous antebellum period of American politics. Houston penned the letter a short time after the 1848 Democratic National Convention which nominated Lewis Cass (1782-1866) on May 25, defeating rivals Levi Woodbury (1789-1851), James Buchanan (1791-1868), and John C. Calhoun (1782-1850). In his letter he reflects upon Cass’s nomination and the response from Calhoun’s supporters, “I suppose of course you have heard of our nominations before this time; How will they go? Or will they at all? Our Calhoun friends are very much discontents and some of them very sore. I think most of them...will vote the ticket, tho. They talk so hard of it that they are doing & will do a great harm or they could were they to take open ground against it. Many here think that some of our Ala. friends will leave us. I hardly think so tho I don’t know, Cass is much stronger than Woodbury or Buchanan in the Union. I have no doubt of it myself." Additionally, Houston writes about the 1848 Whig National Convention which would convene just two days after his correspondence on June 7. He speculates as to who the nominee will be, correctly guessing Zachary Taylor, but also expressing his thoughts about other hopefuls including Henry Clay, Sr. (1777-1852), John J. Crittenden (1787-1863), and General Winfield Scott (1786-1866). “Very great excitement prevails here amongst the Whigs. The fragments are bitter. Mr. Clay however is gone to the bottom at last. His own devoted friends are looking for another man I doubt very much whether he will be presented at all. I think Gen. Taylor will be the nominee, tho the last few days indicate an increasing strength in Gen. Scott. Confusion prevails. Taylor the strong man for the nomination. Crittenden may be the nominee and I have very great fear of Crittenden. They may make a compromise on him and if so he will run like ruin. If Taylor is the nominee, we will get the vote of Ohio. That is now conceded. I think by all, Scott or Crittenden would plague us and so may Taylor, but old Cass will run like wild fire and we will give them trouble with any man/ They may strait. If our Calhoun friends had gone heartily into the support of Cass...would have had no trouble at all.” Condition: Various. Letter from Houston has contemporary tears from where the seal was opened. Franklin Pierce secretary signed document has worming with significant losses along creases.