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Americana to 1900
Lot 83
THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS ANNOUNCES AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. MIFFLIN, THOMAS. 1744-1800. Letter Signed ("Thos. Mifflin") as President of the United States Congress announcing the signing of the Treaty of Paris,
21 November 2023, 10:00 EST
New YorkSold for US$127,500 inc. premium
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THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS ANNOUNCES AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE.
MIFFLIN, THOMAS. 1744-1800. Letter Signed ("Thos. Mifflin") as President of the United States Congress announcing the signing of the Treaty of Paris, 1 p, first sheet of a bifolium, 315 x 209 mm, Philadelphia, November 23, 1783, integral address to second leaf, franked "On public service," stamped "24/No," docketed again on rear panel, light foxing at old folds, paper repairs where seals were removed.
THOMAS MIFFLIN, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS, ANNOUNCES TO JONATHAN TRUMBULL, GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT, THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF PARIS ASSURING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, and asks that Congress convene without delay for its ratification. After months of negotiations led by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and John Jay, on September 3, 1783, the official terms of peace, known as the Treaty of Paris, were signed between the Americans and the British, establishing the United States as free and independent. As acknowledged in Mifflin's letter here on November 23, 1783, had only recently arrived in Philadelphia via John Adams's secretary Mr. Thaxter. Along with announcing this monumental achievement to the Governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull, he also urges the Governor "to the end that the delegates of your State may be impressed with the necessity of their attending in Congress as soon as possible."
The Treaty stipulated that the United States must return the signed and ratified document no more than 6 months from the date of its signing, and already more than 2 1/2 months had elapsed just getting it into Mifflin's hands. His concern was justified and the required quorum of 9 state delegations was not achieved until January 14, 1784. Connecticut's delegation arrived on January 13, whereupon a sick representative from South Carolina was roused from his bed to achieve the necessary majority.
Rare. Copies have been located sent to the governors of New York, New-Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Delaware; as well as Georgia and North Carolina (although these omit the second paragraph exhorting congressional attendance). Most of the documented copies are in institutions—no copy of this letter has been recorded at auction since 1996 when the copy to Delaware governor John Dickinson was sold, now residing in the Gilder-Lehman Collection.
THOMAS MIFFLIN, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS, ANNOUNCES TO JONATHAN TRUMBULL, GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT, THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF PARIS ASSURING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, and asks that Congress convene without delay for its ratification. After months of negotiations led by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and John Jay, on September 3, 1783, the official terms of peace, known as the Treaty of Paris, were signed between the Americans and the British, establishing the United States as free and independent. As acknowledged in Mifflin's letter here on November 23, 1783, had only recently arrived in Philadelphia via John Adams's secretary Mr. Thaxter. Along with announcing this monumental achievement to the Governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull, he also urges the Governor "to the end that the delegates of your State may be impressed with the necessity of their attending in Congress as soon as possible."
The Treaty stipulated that the United States must return the signed and ratified document no more than 6 months from the date of its signing, and already more than 2 1/2 months had elapsed just getting it into Mifflin's hands. His concern was justified and the required quorum of 9 state delegations was not achieved until January 14, 1784. Connecticut's delegation arrived on January 13, whereupon a sick representative from South Carolina was roused from his bed to achieve the necessary majority.
Rare. Copies have been located sent to the governors of New York, New-Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Delaware; as well as Georgia and North Carolina (although these omit the second paragraph exhorting congressional attendance). Most of the documented copies are in institutions—no copy of this letter has been recorded at auction since 1996 when the copy to Delaware governor John Dickinson was sold, now residing in the Gilder-Lehman Collection.