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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