ALS signed “H. Clay,” one page both sides, 8 x 10, February 11, 1841. Letter to George Tibbits. Tibbits (1763–1849) was Federalist Congressman from New York (1803–1805), unsuccessful Federalist candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 1816, and Whig Mayor of Troy, New York, 1830–1836. He had supported Clay for the Whig presidential nomination. In full: “I duly received your favor & thank you for its friendly expressions toward me. The papers correctly announce my intention to retire from the Senate. I expect to resign my seat in the course of some weeks, and to leave Washn in April. I have been a long time in the public service, and my private affairs, & my health too much an attention which I can not bestow on them here. In the present distracted state of the public Councils, with a Chief Magistrate, seeking to destroy the Whig party, thwarting their measures, & endeavoring to build up a party personal to himself, I can do no good corresponding with the personal sacrifices I should make by remaining in the Senate. I shall go, therefore, home, deeply regretting the existing state of things and regretting also my inability to remedy it. It is unlike any prior condition of the country, since it is the first time that we have had a President disowning and disowned by both parties — that is in effect a President disowned by the Whole Country. In what all this will result God only knows. Our trust & our hopes must be concentrated on His Providence.” In fine condition, with intersecting folds. Accompanied by most probably the final draft of Tibbits’ unsigned autograph letter to Clay resulting in this reply.
In the election of 1840, Clay believed Daniel Webster to be the stronger Whig candidate, but his dislike of the incumbent, President Martin Van Buren, brought him to campaign for Harrison anyway. Harrison won and was inaugurated in March 1841, three weeks after Clay wrote this bitter letter.
The new president anticipated friction with Clay and offered him the position of secretary of state, but he declined in favor of his congressional legislative program. Relations between the “Chief Magistrate” and senator quickly soured when a vocal critic of Clay was appointed to a lucrative patronage position. The senator harangued Harrison to such a degree that he was requested to no longer visit the White House or see the president personally. In April, less than eight weeks after this letter, Harrison died, possibly bringing Clay to reconsider his promise to leave Washington; he resigned his seat a year later in March 1842. An exceptional letter revealing enmity within the Whig party. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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