Details:

John McLean autographed free frank on an original postal address panel, signed "John McLean" in ink beneath the handwritten designation "P.O. Department." The cover dates to McLean's tenure as Postmaster General of the United States, a position he held from 1823 to 1829 under Presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams.

The address panel is directed to Albert M. Hastings, Esq., in Somerset, New York, with routing instructions involving the local postmaster. A red circular Washington City postal cancellation appears at the upper left, while the handwritten departmental designation and McLean's signature identify the correspondence as official government mail eligible for free postage.

An interesting example of early American postal history, bearing the autograph of a future United States Supreme Court Justice during his administration of the nation's expanding postal system.

The address panel measures approximately 6.75 x 3.25 inches. Very good condition with age toning, original mailing folds, scattered staining, edge wear, and small areas of paper loss, particularly along the right edge.

John McLean (1785–1861) was an American jurist and statesman who served as Postmaster General of the United States from 1823 to 1829 and as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1829 until his death in 1861. Appointed to the Supreme Court by President Andrew Jackson, McLean served for more than three decades and became particularly noted for his opposition to slavery. He authored a significant dissent in the landmark Dred Scott v. Sandford decision of 1857, rejecting the majority's conclusions concerning African American citizenship and the constitutional protection of slavery in the territories.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11700 1419353-1