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Description:
Autograph letter signed by early American Harrisburg, PA, businessman and attorney James Clarke to his son, a law student, three pages, 8” x 10 ¼”, responding to five letters from his son, James C. Clarke. Dated Feb. 11, 1845, the senior Clarke comments on the young Clarke’s studies, and his need to break up the family business, and then provides detailed and deeply personal commentary on the political situation in Pennsylvania and the administration of Governor Francis Rawn Shunk, who was governor from 1845 to 1848. Spelling and grammar lightly corrected.
Shunk defeated his Whig opponent, Joseph Markle, by less than 4,300 votes. Once in office, he continued his predecessor’s debt reduction and strict frugality. He vetoed several bank charters and bills giving special favors to business interests. Shunk believed government is best that governs least. However, he pushed for social legislation to protect the poor from the hands of the wealthy, support public education and making it more difficult to dissolve marriages.
Clarke writes to his son about the difficulty of business associates. “…There was no possibility of getting on with business while Miller was with us and the business got grievously behind hand. He is destitute of symptom and industry and he is the greatest moral coward that I ever knew. He is a babbling, blathering politician. The governor saw his showy outside only when he chose him for secretary of the commonwealth. The governor seems to be care worn already – I fear that he will break down – especially if next year sends a majority of Federalists into both Houses – as is by no means unlikely.
“Pennsylvania is destined to become a Federal state! The growth of our corrupt city and large towns – the multiplication of banks, corporations and large manufacturers – the universal laxity of political integrity – the increase of fanaticism and demagoguism – the accumulating hoards of office hunting, lickspittle sycophants—and the yearly palpable diminution of manly independence. All point with unerring certainty to our fate as a people. The poisonous shirt of corruption is on the body politic, and the death of honest Democracy cannot be avoided in the state. Even “Old Shunk” [the governor] whom every body knows to be honest cannot now heal the malady. His first step in choosing his Secretary was a fatal error. The late glorious political campaign was but the spasmodic throes of a mighty giant when the poison was in his veins, and the hand of death was on him. I have sadly misjudged the ‘signs of the times’ if the days of Democracy (a Democracy worth the name) in our good old State are not almost numbered. I hope I may be mistaken.
“I have never seen so many gentlemen loafers—hungry hounds—prowling round Harrisburg [Pennsylvania’s state capital] all winter hoping to finding some bone to pick, as we have here this seaon. Besehers Hotel is infested with them; for it is there that the governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the State Treasurer, and two of the Canal Commissioners lodge. Stout, hearty, hale healthy men that might maul 100 rails a day, acting the beggar for some petty clerkship, or menial employment under the government! Better be a country pedagogue…
“Westmoreland [county] is very well represented this year. She has good men, and should by all means continue them. A county suffers in her interests—and the State suffers also, when she changes her representation often. Of late years the principle ‘rotation in office’ has run mad…”
Postmark is a blue Harrisburg CDS with an 18 3/4 cent manuscript rate mark. Letter fully intact and in great shape. Reinforced at folds with archival tape. Else excellent condition. Quite an amazing early PA political postal history find!
| Status: For Sale |
Reference#: 00260 |
| Condition:
Excellent |
Year:
1845
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| Title:
Amazing Early Political Letter from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
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