1834 B. Gorham Congressional free franked stampless JACKSON'S HEAD CUT OFF, WHIG

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Here a two and a half page letter, which has an outside cover sheet with a 'Free, B. Gorham, M.C.' marking [Member of Congress], and is addressed to Miss A.G. Salisbury, Leominster, Mass. The dateline is Tuesday July 7th. No year date. The letter can be dated from the account of the 'Jackson figurehead' mentioned. That even took place on 3 July, when someone had sawed off the president's figurehead which was attached to the prow of the Ship CONSTITUTION (in April 1834). From his Congressional biography: " GORHAM, Benjamin, (son of Nathaniel Gorham), a Representative from Massachusetts; born in Charlestown, Mass., February 13, 1775; pursued preparatory studies; was graduated from Harvard University in 1795; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Boston, Mass.; member of the State house of representatives 1814-1818; served in the State senate from May 26, 1819, to January 10, 1821, when he resigned; elected as a Republican to the Sixteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jonathan Mason; reelected as Republican to the Seventeenth Congress and served from November 6, 1820, to March 3, 1823; again a member of the State senate for one term beginning May 28, 1823; elected as an Adams candidate to the Twentieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Daniel Webster; reelected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress and served from July 23, 1827, to March 3, 1831; elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress (March 4, 1833-March 3, 1835); again a member of the State house of representatives in 1841; resumed the practice of law; died in Boston, Mass., September 27, 1855; interment in the old burial ground of Phipps Street Cemetery, Charlestown, Mass." Maybe the letter could be dated from a careful reading of the contents of the letter. I'm not sure who wrote the main letter, it might have been someone in B. Gorham's family. I'm not sure if he wrote it or not, but he signed the outside sheet so that the letter could be mailed at no cost. Some abstracts: "Dean Anna, It is said that nothing is so tedious as a twice told tale ..." "I was at your house a few moments yesterday and saw Stephen and Rebecca, Sarah and I went together to call on Lucia S[????]. Sarah was shocked at her appearance as she has lost so much flesh. She is a small shadow I never saw a person so changed who had not been very ill ...." "I called the after day to see Mrs Kirkland. I found her very gracious ..." "I have invited Mr & Mrs Lathrop to take tea at our house tomorrow. I shall give you an account of said visit in my next letter." "Mr. Gorhams letter from William gives an account of the [?????????] of the Ship. It seems they have bought coffee at Batavia which is to be delivered to them on their return from Canton in July and they do not calculate to get away from Jan[????] ...." "Mamma seems to grow more sick instead of better. This warm weather weakens her very much. I have never known her so sick at this season before." "I suppose that Ginny has written you all about the Whig dinner Mr Chadwick says he never saw anything of the kind go off so well. There was no disorder or confusion and no one got drunk. There was only four dollars worth broken. I have not for years known so much excitement on the 4th of July, the streets were filled but I only saw one intoxicated person. I suppose you have also had a full account of the beheading of Jackson. Early in the morning John came running up to Mamma and told her that they had cut off Jacksons head. She told him it was too good news to be true. He said it was only the figure head. It was a most daring act. It will make old Jackson horrid angry." Condition of the letter rates average. As usual with stampless letters, after writing on one or more sides of a sheet of paper, the letter was folded several times and mailed. Please note that most stampless letters have faults such file folds, tears at and opposite th... read more

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