Albert Gallatin ALS Regarding Expansion in Ohio Territory, Fantastic

1p of a bifolium, measuring 8.25" x 10.25", "Treasury Department" Washington, D.C., dated August 7, 1801. Signed "Albert Gallatin" and addressed to Thomas Worthington Esquire, Register of the Chillicothe Land Office, North West Territory. Gallatin responds to a letter regarding territory in Ohio, writing in full:

"In reply to that part of your letter of the 11th ulto which relates to an application under the 16th Section for land lying adjoining the said to within the tract reserved for Nova Scotia & Canada refugees; the application bears such strong marks of speculation unwarranted by law, that I have to request that you will transmit the precise evidence of the fact on which the application rests. At all events that section of the law cannot give to an applicant more than the single section whether fractional or entire which includes the mill."

With docketing on verso. Flattened mail folds, edge toning and chipping, with minor paper loss. The last page has been cleanly cut, affecting no part of the text. Staining from a wax seal.

Albert Gallatin (1761-1849) served at the fourth Secretary of the Treasury, and later at the U.S. Minister to France and to the United Kingdom. He oversaw the expansion of public land sales and sought to change the system by selling directly to frontier settlers instead of land speculators. In May 1800, Congress approved a new land bill that created numerous federal land offices throughout the northwestern frontier, and President John Adams commissioned Thomas Worthington to be Register of the office at Chillicothe. The above letter concerns the federal mill preemption policy laid out in the Law of 1800. Those who could provide proof that a mill did or would exist on a section of land were entitled to a massively discounted rate.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!