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PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865). Autograph memorandum signed ("A. Lincoln"), as President, Washington, 23 April 1862.
Details
LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865). Autograph memorandum signed ("A. Lincoln"), as President, Washington, 23 April 1862.
One page, 250 x 200mm, Executive Mansion stationery (slight trace of mounting on verso).
"I still think this is the just construction": a fine example of a Lincoln Presidential manuscript, as he pays scrupulous attention to avoid wasteful spending and fraud in the government's massively expanding military establishment. President Lincoln puts his lawyer's hat back on to clarify the meaning of one of his orders for arms purchases. "It is said that in the case of the contract of S. Dingle & Co., in relation to arms, a dispute has arisen as to the proper construction of a clause in an order signed by me, which clause is in these words 'and that all not conforming thereto [the contract] be appraised by the ordinance officer at New York, and received at such place as he may determine.' This order was prepared with reference to a definite number of Arms expected to be delivered within a definite time, and not in reference to an indefinite number to be delivered in an indefinite time." Lincoln goes on to say it was certainly not his expectation that a batch of guns "would be appraised at one price at one time, and another lot, of precisely the same quality, appraised at different prices at another time." He reasonably thought that once a price was fixed "it would stand throughout the transaction, neither going down nor up. I still think this is the just construction."
One page, 250 x 200mm, Executive Mansion stationery (slight trace of mounting on verso).
"I still think this is the just construction": a fine example of a Lincoln Presidential manuscript, as he pays scrupulous attention to avoid wasteful spending and fraud in the government's massively expanding military establishment. President Lincoln puts his lawyer's hat back on to clarify the meaning of one of his orders for arms purchases. "It is said that in the case of the contract of S. Dingle & Co., in relation to arms, a dispute has arisen as to the proper construction of a clause in an order signed by me, which clause is in these words 'and that all not conforming thereto [the contract] be appraised by the ordinance officer at New York, and received at such place as he may determine.' This order was prepared with reference to a definite number of Arms expected to be delivered within a definite time, and not in reference to an indefinite number to be delivered in an indefinite time." Lincoln goes on to say it was certainly not his expectation that a batch of guns "would be appraised at one price at one time, and another lot, of precisely the same quality, appraised at different prices at another time." He reasonably thought that once a price was fixed "it would stand throughout the transaction, neither going down nor up. I still think this is the just construction."