Rare presidential mourning proclamation, signed "Calvin Coolidge" as president and "Charles E. Hughes" as secretary of state, one black-bordered page, 10.25 x 13.5, August 4, 1923. In his first presidential proclamation, Coolidge announces the death of Warren G. Harding and proclaims a national day of mourning. In part: "In the inscrutable wisdom of Divine Providence, Warren Gamaliel Harding, twenty-ninth President of the United States, has been taken from us. The nation has lost a wise and enlightened statesman and the American people a true friend and counselor whose whole public life was inspired with the desire to promote the best interests of the United States and the welfare of all its citizens. His private life was marked by gentleness and brotherly sympathy, and by the charm of his personality he made friends of all who came in contact with him. It is meet that the deep grief which fills the hearts of the American people should find fitting expression. Now, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, do appoint Friday next, August tenth, the day on which the body of the dead President will be laid in its last earthly resting place, as a day of mourning and prayer throughout the United States." In fine condition, with a light central horizontal fold.
An accompanying catalog description from the 1980s notes: "It is our understanding that only about ten of these presidential proclamations were printed without the printed names of the President and Secretary of State. These were personally signed, and were intended for presentation to members of the Cabinet. It is doubtful if they were so presented, as five of these documents surfaced in the Washington, D.C. area in the mid 1960s, and this is one of the five.".
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