Books and Manuscripts

Van Buren, Martin
Printed Document, signed
Washington, (D.C.), June 30, 1837. One sheet folded to make four pages, 10 x 8 1/4 in. (254 x 209 mm). Printed presidential order, signed by Van Buren, directing "the Secretary of State," John Forsyth, "to affix the seal of the United States to the Presidents order, remitting the penalty, incurred by James Hannah, Master of the British Barque Asia;" docketed on verso; creasing from contemporary folds.

Together with:

Tyler, John
Printed Document, signed
Washington, (D.C.), August 8, 1842. One sheet folded to make four pages, 10 x 8 1/4 in. (254 x 209 mm). Printed presidential order, signed by Tyler, directing "the Secretary of State," Daniel Webster, "to affix the Seal of the United States to the remission of the costs of prosecution in the case of William Blackburn, in the Penitentiary of Pennsylvania;" docketed on verso; creasing from contemporary folds.

Together with:

Fillmore, Millard
Printed Document, signed
Washington, (D.C.), April 27, 1852. One sheet folded to make four pages, 10 x 8 1/4 in. (254 x 209 mm). Printed presidential order, signed by Fillmore, directing "the Secretary of State," Daniel Webster, "to affix the Seal of the United States to a full power to negotiate a Convention with the Plenipotentiary of the Free Hanseatic Cities;" docketing on verso; creasing from contemporary folds.

The three Hanseatic Cities were Bremen, Lübeck, and Hamburg (in modern Germany) and were free and independent city-states within the Holy Roman Empire. Although independent of each other, in the 19th century they formed a joint trade agreement, and served as major trading hubs between the United States and Germany. Polk here directs his Secretary of State, Daniel Webster, to negotiate a convention with the Republics to establish direct diplomatic relations. Relations were formalized the following year, in 1853, but were severed in 1868 when they joined the North German Confederation during German Unification. In 1871 they joined the German Empire.