The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-18
PRESIDENTS AS PENMEN.
Some Curious and Intercsting Documents
the Senate's Executive Office.

Soxne Curious and Intercsting Documents In
the senate's Executive Office.
WASHINGTON, March 17.-In the executive
!, ice of the Senate there are preserved all the
executive messages of Presidents Of the United
states, from the foundation of the government.
Though not often referred to. some Of these doeu-
ments are becoming worn, and recently General
McCook, secretary of the Senate, caused Sc
lections to be made from the files with view to
preserving some Of the interesting autographs in
y cabinet by themselves General WaShington's
first contribution to the collection embodies
nominations for judges marshals and attorneys
for the district of New York and New Jersey;
and at the end Of the same document are the
nominations of Thomas Jefferson Edmund
Randolph and Samuel Osgood for Secretary of
State, Attorney general and Postmaster general,
respectively. The signature is written ia a fair,
legible hand, which would pass to-day for that of
a business man not entirely careless OF appear
ances, yet having confidence enough in his own
work to let the details of penmanship take care
OF themselves.
Mr. Jefferson penned his signature with the
easy grace of Spencerian graduate. but mis-
economy of space was such that his documents,
as whole, fall below the present standard OF
clerical excellence. He wrote most of his
messages with his own hand. One specimen
embodies no less than ninety denominations, and
covers almost to the last inch of space three and
one half pages of letter paper Mr. Jefferson
usually sent his messages to the Vice president
by mail. 1t was long before the days of envel-
opes and mucilage, and the documents bear the
p0stmarks and red waters Of the ancient style.
One of John Adams's autograph messages is as
Follows:
UNITED STATES July 2. 1913.
Gentlemen of the SENATE:
nominate George Washington, of Mount Vernon,
to be acknowledgement and commander IN chief of all
the armies raised and to be raised in the United States
JOHN ADAMS.
Mr. Madison wrote an irregular hand, devoid
of marked peculiarites His nomination of
John Quincy Adams 70 be Minister Plenpoten-
tiary to the Court of St Petersburg, which was
one OF several nominations made in single mes
sage, bears the clerical marks of the Senate's
disapproval. '1nexpedieEt to send minister
wrote the executive clerk upon the margin.
Mr. Madison then wrote a second message, Civ
ing his reasons for making the nomination and
urging it's confirmation, but the session expired
without action.
Martin Van Buren's hand was unsteady when
penned his first message, if he had not
lily recovered from the excitement aud labors
his inauguration but he wrote better the
ext day. James X. Folks contribution TO the
ELECTION is an autograph message. penned in
-syhat would be taken for feminine hand, yet
with few of the graces of penmanship. Frank
lin Pierce wrote sprawling boyish signature.
Andrew Johnson started fairly upon the line,
then fell a little below it. but recovered himself
at the end. The collection contains the first and
last messages of General Garfield. and the mes
sage of President Arthur nominating General
Grant to his place upon the retired list of the
army