Partly-printed war-dated DS, one page, 17 x 14, September 27, 1864. Lincoln appoints A. Rettberg to the position of “Consul of Hanover at Cleveland, in the State of Ohio.” Signed at the conclusion, “Abraham Lincoln,” and countersigned by Secretary of State William Seward. In very good condition, with intersecting previous storage folds, uniform toning, and some small creases and tears to edges, as well as some light damp staining, which could be matted out. The white wafer seal is intact. Lincoln’s full signature is unaffected by most of the flaws, remaining quite crisp and bold
Relationships with European nations were important to the Union during the Civil War and there was real fear that countries like the Kingdom of Hanover (newly established in October 1814) would recognize the Confederacy as a sovereign nation.
All European states considered an emerging United States as a threat to their world status, and the U. S. had already clearly demonstrated its ambitious nature in the war with Mexico and the Louisiana Purchase. European military circles well understood that they were witnessing war on a new industrial scale, and a divided North America could have proved a great boon to most European countries, but in the end there was no clear advantage to direct involvement by any European power.
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