July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Excellent pair of letters from Alton, Illinois, The first letter dated September 17, 1866, 3 pgs, fine, in part: "A. Johnson passed through here last week and swung round the circle a couple of times"…."on the way to St. Louis where he had another big Drunk"…"Farewell Andrew Johnson". Much more local political content. The second letter dated October 8, 1866, 3 pgs., fine, in part: "Andy Johnson is played out in the country"…."you can rely upon the great states rolling such a majority for John A. Logan against Copperheads and Rebels, as will make A. Johnson tremble in his boots"…."his tour from Washington to St. Louis enabled us all to see him and hear him and it sickened us all, that journey cost him millions of honest votes. His speech, his drunken, driveling, slobbering harangue at the Southern Hotel at St. Louis was the straw that broke the camels back, it was a most disgusting tirade"…."He was drunk, drunk! He openly endorsed….the New Orleans Massacre"…." Again, much more political content. President Johnson was on a southern tour is support of Congressional candidates who were running for reelection that year. The New Orleans Massacre occurred when several free blacks were killed in New Orleans. Johnson was also said to be drunk at the inauguration of President Lincoln in March 1865. There is a well known photograph of the inauguration showing Johnson, sitting to left of President Lincoln, with a hat covering his face due to his drunkenness.
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