The Original Appointment for the 7th Secretary of the Treasury, Signed by James Madison as President and James Monroe as Secretary of State
The earliest Treasury Secretary appointment known to have ever reached the market, and a consequential one, coming on the heals of the Treaty of Ghent and the end to almost two decades of European hostilities.
Acquired from the direct descendants of the appointee and never before offered for sale
William H. Crawford was U.S. ambassador to France during the negotiations to end the War of 1812. During the those negotiations, he was responsible for superintending the American consuls in Europe and keeping them informed of developments. He...
Acquired from the direct descendants of the appointee and never before offered for sale
William H. Crawford was U.S. ambassador to France during the negotiations to end the War of 1812. During the those negotiations, he was responsible for superintending the American consuls in Europe and keeping them informed of developments. He was also an important negotiator from a distance. He was called home and appointed Secretary of War by President James Madison on August 1, 1815, succeeding James Monroe. Crawford served in the post about a year, and was then named Secretary of the Treasury. When Monroe entered the White House, he continued Crawford in office, and Crawford remained at Treasury until the end of Monroe’s administration. Monroe’s term as Secretary of War was short but consequential. He presided over the military standing down after years of bitter conflict and also put reform at West Point, a crucial training element in the US arsenal, at the top of his agenda.
To date, just 608 people have been named to a presidential cabinet post in the entire history of the United States. Of these, 76 have been Secretaries of the Treasury. However, any document actually appointing a Cabinet member is extremely uncommon. We have had just three, and seen barely a handful of others, in our three decades in this field.
But the problem of rarity becomes more than acute when looking at the first four administrations. When President James Madison appointed William H. Crawford Secretary of Treasury in 1816, he became just the 7th man ever nominated and appointed to that post He was preceded by Alexander Hamilton, Oliver Wolcott, Samuel Dexter (who served 3 months), Albert Gallatin, George W. Campbell (who served 8 months), and Alexander J. Dallas. Diligent research going back 40 years fails to disclose even one presidential cabinet appointment document for one of the 6 other men.
Document signed by President James Madison, Washington, October 22, 1816, appointing Crawford Secretary of the Treasury. Countersigned by James Monroe as Secretary of State.
This is the earliest appointment of a Secretary of the Treasury and the 2nd earliest cabinet appointment document to reach the market. The other: Crawford’s appointment as Secretary of War, also carried by Raab.
Crawford’s term was long and consequential. He led the Treasury through the aftermath of the War of 1812, the creation of the 2nd Bank of the United States, the Panic of 1819, its recovery and nearly a decade of US growth.
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