Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - December - 2008 Issue
History in Signed Documents from The Raab Collection
Pick your poison: Hoover and Nixon.
John Tyler was one of the most unpopular of U.S. presidents. His lousy reputation has not improved with time. He was as bad as people of his day thought. Tyler was a compromise candidate added as vice-president to the Whig ticket headed by William Henry Harrison in 1840 to appeal to the South. What the Whigs did not expect was Harrison dying only one month into office, leaving Tyler to serve as Chief Executive for the remaining three years and eleven months. Tyler quickly came into conflict with Harrison's cabinet, which led to all but one member resigning en masse. There were an incredible 22 cabinet changes during his term in office. Item 18 is a letter from Tyler to his new Treasury Secretary J.C. Spencer in 1843. In it, Tyler gleefully talks about removing even lower level officials from their positions. Speaking of some low level appointee named Lowry Tyler writes, "...before the collector is removed Lowry should be appointed, then off with his head. Nor do I care if a like service be done to the Postmaster at Portland." $6,500.
Here is a picture to cheer you up as the nation sinks deeper and deeper into recession. Item 34 is an 11 x 14 signed and inscribed photograph of President Herbert Hoover. See... things could be worse. $500. If a Hoover photograph isn't creepy enough for your tastes, how about one of Richard Nixon? A youthful looking Nixon (probably from his vice-presidential days) has inscribed and signed this 8 x 10 photograph. $1,000.
This just touches the surface of what is available in this catalogue. There is the cover letter which accompanied the resignation of Andrew Johnson from the position of Military Governor of Tennessee to become Vice-President in 1865. Shortly, he too would become President. There is a wonderful letter from Henry Clay during the presidential campaign of 1844 attempting to explain that his talking out of both sides of his mouth and saying contradictory things in the North and South were not talking out of both sides of his mouth and contradicting himself. The Great Compromiser compromised himself out of the election. Jefferson Davis, still 15 years away from leading the South during its rebellion, defends his actions and those of Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War. Ronald Reagan refers to President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 as "that bum in the White House," and offers the opinion that his opponents might start "putting us [he and others of a like mind] in concentration camps." You may reach The Raab Collection at 800-977-8333. Their website is www.raabcollection.com.
