The Dr. John L. Robertson Collection of Free Franks continued...

EXTREMELY FINE AND PRISTINE COVER WITH A PERFECT STRIKE OF THE ST. JOSEPH RUNNING PONY OVAL. ONE OF SIX RECORDED PONY EXPRESS COVERS SIGNED BY SENATOR LATHAM.

The Pony Express was launched in 1860 by the overland freight express firm operated by William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell. In an attempt to secure the lucrative government mail contract, the Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company announced that it would carry letters between California and the railroad terminus at St. Joseph, Missouri, in less than ten days. The earliest advertisements appeared in January 1860, and the first pony rider left the Alta Telegraph office in San Francisco at 4:00 p.m. on April 3, 1860.

The cover offered here is franked by Senator Milton S. Latham, who went to California in 1850 and was elected to Congress on the 1852 Democratic ticket. After his term expired, he declined to run for reelection and served as collector for the port of San Francisco. In 1859 he was elected governor, but he resigned almost immediately to become a U.S. senator. Latham served until 1863, during which time he was a strong supportor of Russell, Majors and Waddell and their effort to secure the contract for the central route.

This autograph letter signed "Latham" is datelined Washington, May 22, 1860, and addressed to George Wallace, secretary to California's Governor Downey. The content reveals Senator Latham's political views and, in typical fashion, his cronyism and partisan maneuvering on Capitol Hill.

He writes: "I called in person to see Secy. Toucey of the Navy, about Coghlan, & urged him to make the order O'Farrell wanted, and I then wrote T. a strong letter to the same effect. I recd. last night the enclosed answer, which I send you. You will see that he says the services of a Boatswain are not required' at Mare Island & of course I can do no more. I am sorry for this, for I should have been much pleased to favor O'Farrell. Better luck next time. I have recd. all your letters & cannot tell you how gratified I am at their contents. They keep me posted as to all Cala. matters and are very refreshing. You need not fear my Clerk, George, for he does not see your letters, and if he did, it would make no difference, for he is very reliable. You know I generally know my confidential friends, your own experience should satisfy you of this. Gordon has no connection with Cala. & although his brother, George, is with Tom Williams, he is too honorable & too much attached to me to betray my friendship... The great Democratic party is split forever, I fear. Douglas has made the greatest speech of his life last week, but it has only embittered his enemies the more. I think the Richmond Convention will nominate Lane, and the Baltimore will nominate Douglas & Stephens. We will then have a Northern & Southern Democratic Party & who then can say where it will end. What a pity inasmuch as it all comes from an abstraction about the `almighty nigger..."

The envelope is addressed and endorsed "Per Pony Express" in Latham's hand. The St. Joseph Running Pony handstamp is perfectly struck with the famous running pony design showing remarkable detail. The blue "Free" indicates that the $5.00 Pony Express fee was waived in favor of Senator Latham, whose political efforts on behalf of the company were enthusiastic. This Pony Express trip left from St. Joseph on May 27, 1860. A total of ten free-franked Pony Express covers are recorded in Nathan, six of which were signed by Senator Latham (on the first he paid the $5.00 fee, the subsequent ones were carried free). A mate to this cover, dated at St. Joseph on May 13, is illustrated in the Nathan book (p.10) and was sold in our sale of the Hall collection for $95,000 hammer (Sale 830, lot 798). Another similar cover, dated June 3, is listed in the Nathan census.

Ex Knapp, Hale, Hertz and Grunin, and featured on the cover of our catalogue for the Hale collection (Sale 171, April 29, 1954). (Image)

VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE COVER WITH A BOLD STRIKE OF THE ST. JOSEPH RUNNING PONY OVAL AND FREE FRANK OF SENATOR WILLIAM M. GWIN. ONE OF TEN FREE-FRANKED PONY EXPRESS COVERS RECORDED IN THE NATHAN CENSUS.

Senator Gwin, who received his medical degree from Transylvania University in 1828, was a colorful, influential and controversial figure in California politics. In 1840 he was elected to Congress and aligned himself with the Calhoun school. He left Washington for California in 1849, following the prediction of John C. Calhoun that San Francisco would become New York's great rival. Dr. Gwin and Fremont became senators, and, influenced by Senator Gwin's tireless efforts, the U.S. government authorized the establishment of the U.S. Mint in California, the survey of the Pacific coast, a navy-yard, and the commencement of steamship service between San Francisco, China, and Japan, via the Hawaiian Islands. At the beginning of the Civil War, former Senator Gwin was arrested on accusation of disloyalty and held prisoner until 1863. After his release from prison, he traveled to France and became involved in a scheme to colonize Sonora with southerners, under the authority of Napoleon and Emperor Maximilian. The plan failed without the support of Mexico's military, and Dr. Gwin finally returned to California, where he continued to participate in political affairs.

Ex Grunin (Image)