Autograph Letter, Signed
- SIGNED
- 54 William St. [New York] , 1867
54 William St. [New York], 1867. Near fine. ALS to Thomas S. Ridgway, Boston. 1 page (5" X 8"), 38 words in black (now brown) ink, and typically (for Fremont) both cryptic and mysterious. Dated "13, Apr" and, based on content, we're assuming 1867-1868. Near fine.
“I have received your confidential note of the 8th and will think over the subject & let you know what conclusion I arrive at. Yours truly J. C. Fremont.”. Thomas S. Ridgway was a prominent Boston businessman and Republican political operative who would serve as a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention. The cryptic nature of Fremont's response (acknowledging a "confidential" matter requiring careful consideration) suggests the correspondence involved either sensitive political maneuvering related to the upcoming presidential election or potentially lucrative business opportunities. The letter's return address at 54 William Street corresponds to the headquarters of The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company, where Fremont served as President during 1866-1867, one of several ambitious railroad ventures that characterized his post-Civil War entrepreneurial activities. Given Ridgway's political connections and Fremont's dual roles as a potential Republican figure and railroad executive, the "subject" under consideration could have involved campaign strategy, patronage appointments, or railroad financing; all areas where the two men's interests would have intersected during this pivotal period in American political and economic development. The deliberately vague language reflects the cautious communication style typical of Gilded Age political and business correspondence, where sensitive negotiations were conducted through coded references rather than explicit statements.
And as to letters generally: Letter writing lives on as the final device for quiet, low tech, good will, and (paradoxically) both solitude and good company simultaneously.
“I have received your confidential note of the 8th and will think over the subject & let you know what conclusion I arrive at. Yours truly J. C. Fremont.”. Thomas S. Ridgway was a prominent Boston businessman and Republican political operative who would serve as a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention. The cryptic nature of Fremont's response (acknowledging a "confidential" matter requiring careful consideration) suggests the correspondence involved either sensitive political maneuvering related to the upcoming presidential election or potentially lucrative business opportunities. The letter's return address at 54 William Street corresponds to the headquarters of The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company, where Fremont served as President during 1866-1867, one of several ambitious railroad ventures that characterized his post-Civil War entrepreneurial activities. Given Ridgway's political connections and Fremont's dual roles as a potential Republican figure and railroad executive, the "subject" under consideration could have involved campaign strategy, patronage appointments, or railroad financing; all areas where the two men's interests would have intersected during this pivotal period in American political and economic development. The deliberately vague language reflects the cautious communication style typical of Gilded Age political and business correspondence, where sensitive negotiations were conducted through coded references rather than explicit statements.
And as to letters generally: Letter writing lives on as the final device for quiet, low tech, good will, and (paradoxically) both solitude and good company simultaneously.