President Pierce Appointee Finch Makes Recommendation; Speaks to the Senate; Engraving--3-Piece Lot

ALPHEUS FELCH (September 28, 1804-June 13, 1896) was the fifth Governor of Michigan and a U.S. Senator from the state and a member of the House of Representatives. In 1835, he was the aid-de-camp to General Joseph Brown during the mustering of troops for the Ohio-Michigan Boundary Dispute (the Toledo War). He was appointed bank commissioner in 1838 and did much to expose frauds, made possible by a “wild-cat” banking law, which he had opposed and which was later declared unconstitutional. He was appointed associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court in 1842. In 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed him to the lands claims commission for California to settle the Spanish and Mexican land claims arising from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War. Offering a three-piece grouping, a one-page, ALS, and a copy of his speech to the U.S. Senate granting land to Iowa to aid in the construction of railroads. ALS, Detroit, March 1, 1847, to the Secretary of the Navy recommending the naval appointment of James D.S. Pierce. “An application for the appointment of James D.S. Pierce of this state as a Midshipman has this day been exhibited to me signed by the members of the Legislature and the principal officers connected with the present State administration. From information derived from a source entitled to implicit confidence, I have no hesitation in saying that the young gentleman whose appointment is recommended has qualifications and abilities of a high order and would beyond all doubt do credit to himself and the naval service. I take pleasure therefore in joining in the recommendation of his appointment…” 16 pp, printed copy of Felch’s speech before the U.S. Senate on February 3 and 4, 1858. A fine old engraving of Felch is included.

Folds, toning to both the letter and the speech. The speech is disbound. An attempt to rebound.

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