Item 75 offers a pair of letters from Letitia Tyler Semple, written in November of 1893. They are remembrances of Dolley Madison, widow of President James Madison. Mrs. Semple was the daughter of President John Tyler. She recalls she met Mrs. Madison when she was 20, the former President's wife 60. For the record, Mrs. Madison was 73 when Mrs. Semple was 20. She recalls, accurately, that Mrs. Madison was "reduced almost to absolute poverty" by "the bad management of her son" (James Madison's stepson John Todd, the President having no natural children). "Bad management" is a kind word for John's actions, as his gambling, drinking and theft virtually wiped out the property and savings of James and Dolley Madison. Mrs. Semple recalled her father being concerned about Mrs. Madison's situation and recommending Congress purchase President Madison's papers from her. Such a bill was passed, giving Dolley $20,000, after which "she spent the rest of her life in comfort." For the record, that bill was passed four years after President Tyler left office, and at that point "the rest of Mrs. Madison's life" amounted to a few weeks. Mrs. Semple also noted her last communication from Mrs. Madison was an invitation to visit "during President Pierce's administration," which is odd since Mrs. Madison died three years before President Pierce took office. Mrs. Semple can be forgiven if she was a bit forgetful on the details, as she was an elderly, nearly blind lady by that time. At least Mrs. Semple was a popular fixture in Washington, something which could not be said of her presidential father. $1,250.

 

Here is a presidential item you are not going to find elsewhere, for this president or any other. Item 87 is the prenuptial agreement of Millard Fillmore. Seriously. President Fillmore's first wife died only a few days after he left office. Five years later, Fillmore married Caroline Carmichael McIntosh, a wealthy, childless widow. The new Mrs. Fillmore evidently wanted to protect her assets, so she insisted upon a prenup that provided her with full control over the property she brought to the marriage. Despite the businesslike beginning, it was apparently a happy marriage, though Mrs. Fillmore battled with the remainder of the Fillmore family after her husband died. $1,250.

 

Next we come to a much older letter, though it relates to a more recent president. Rather then concerning a president in old age, this relates to one in his youth. It is a letter from James Buchanan to Isaac Wayne (son of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne), from 1826, thirty years prior to his election as President. In it, Buchanan offers a prescient opinion about the election of 1828. Buchanan states, "I think…that the fate of Mr. [President John Quincy] Adams is already determined. He cannot be reelected unless Gen. Jackson should in the mean time die or be rendered unable to discharge the duties of President." Jackson neither died nor became incapacitated, and, as Buchanan predicted, defeated Quincy Adams in his bid for reelection. Buchanan then offers a most telling observation about the Adams administration - "The whole course of the administration has proved that every appointment is made either with a view of rewarding past services or of obtaining new friends." Of course, the scandal of the Adams administration was the claim that Adams made a "corrupt bargain" with Henry Clay, whereby Clay threw his support to Adams, enabling the latter to become President, in return for being named Secretary of State. Truly a reward for past services. The charge, though denied, essentially prevented Clay from ever being elected President. What's more, Jackson believed Buchanan was the messenger of the "corrupt bargain," a charge Buchanan vehemently denied. Nevertheless, this old charge was again raised (without effect) when Buchanan ran for President 30 years later. It is interesting that Buchanan believed that all of Adams' appointments, which must include Clay's, were political payoffs. Item 88. $6,000.

 

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