Books and Manuscripts

Typed Letter, initialed
Washington, (D.C.), October 16, 1958. One sheet, 9 x 6 3/4 in. (229 x 171 mm). Typed letter on White House stationery, initialed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, to philanthropist and Republican Party donor, Irving Geist, during the 1958 midterm election season: "Thank you both for your telephone message of felicitations on my birthday anniversary, and for the two exceedingly handsome ties...I had a fine celebration, but now politicking begins in earnest and I am off in the morning for a trip to the West Coast that is bound to be difficult, and, I am afraid, frustrating in many respects." Eisenhower goes on to charmingly write in a postscript, "Within a day or two you will get from me a letter frankly asking for increased activity on your part to support the cause in which we both believe so much. I am simply warning you!" Creased from original fold. In fine condition. Lot includes a photograph of Eisenhower, signed by his wife, Mamie Doud Eisenhower.

Eisenhower's "difficult" trip to the West Coast likely refers to his stumping for Republican candidate for California governor, William Knowland. Knowland was a popular two-term United States senator and Senate minority leader from California, whose seat was considered safe in the lead up to the 1958 midterm election. Instead of running for another term as senator, he made the surprise, and resultingly unpopular, choice of running for governor. He faced Democratic Attorney General, Pat Brown, and lost by over one million votes.

Two days after this letter, on October 18, Geist received another letter from Eisenhower--referred to in the postscript of the above letter--soliciting financial donations on behalf of the Republican Party for the midterm elections, and laying out the accomplishments of the Party in the previous Congress, and his hopes for their future. Republicans would suffer major defeats in the 1958 midterms, losing 48 seats in the House and 13 seats in the Senate, to the Democrats.

Together with:

Typed Document, signed
(Washington, D.C.), The White House, March 22, 1956. One sheet, 13 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. (336 x 209 mm). Typed order, signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, as President, designating Thomas Coggeshall as Chairman of the Renegotiation Board. In fine condition.

The Renegotiation Board was established under the Renegotiation Act of 1951. It provided oversight for defense-related contractors to ensure that they completed their contracts in a timely fashion and without overcharging. Thomas Coggeshall, of Connecticut, was nominated to the board by Eisenhower, and was confirmed on February 25, 1955. He resigned in 1961, during the Kennedy administration.