UNITED STATES STAMPLESS COVER WASHINGTON DC POLITICIAN Tristam Burges 1829 F952

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Country

United States

Condition

Cover (Postal History)

Stamp Format

Single

Item Description

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This is a letter written on December 19, 1829, from Jonathan Eastman in New York City to the Honorable Tristam Burges, a U.S. Congressman from Rhode Island who was in Washington, D.C.Eastman, a publisher, is compiling the "New York State Register for the year 1830." This publication was intended to include a list of the Supreme Court judges for all 24 U.S. states at the time. Having not yet obtained the names of the judges from Rhode Island, Eastman is writing to Congressman Burges to request that he provide the list. He specifically notes that he believes Samuel Eddy is the Chief Judge.Transcription of the LetterAddressed Cover:Hon. Tristam Burges Member of congress Washington D.C.Letter Interior:New York Dec 19th 1829Dear SirI am engaged with a gentleman in this city in preparing for the press the New York State Register for the year 1830; in this work among other items it is intended to give the Judges of the supreme court in the 24 states; we have obtained them from most of the states but it appears that we have not yet them from Rhode Island and if sir you will by the return of mail give me the names of the Judges composing your supreme court in that state you will confer a particular favor. Hon. Samuel Eddy, I believe is chief Judge.Very respectfully yours Jonathan EastmanAbout the Sender: Jonathan EastmanJonathan Eastman appears to have been an editor and publisher active in New York during the early 19th century. His work on publications like the "New York State Register" aligns perfectly with the content of this letter. These registers were almanac-style books containing a wide range of civic, governmental, and statistical information, and compiling accurate lists of officials from every state would have been a significant undertaking.About the Receiver: Hon. Tristam Burges (1770–1853)Tristam Burges was a prominent American politician and orator from Rhode Island. At the time of this letter, he was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, a position he held from 1825 to 1835. Before his political career, he was a lawyer and served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island from 1815 to 1816. His position as a respected congressman from Rhode Island made him an ideal source for the information Eastman was seeking.Context and Postal MarkingsSamuel Eddy: Jonathan Eastman's belief was correct. Samuel Eddy (1769–1839) was indeed the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1827 to 1835.Postal Markings: The cover features a red circular postmark from "NEW-YORK" dated "DEC 19." More significantly, it bears a red handstamp and a handwritten notation of "Free." This indicates the use of the franking privilege, a right granted to members of Congress and other government officials to send and receive mail without paying postage. As this letter was addressed to a sitting congressman, it was delivered free of charge.SEE MY 20,000+ EXCEPTIONAL LISTINGS IN MY STORE! WATCH MY ITEMS USING YOUR WATCH-LIST FOR SPECIAL DISCOUNTS AND ADD ME AS A FAVORITE SELLER FOR A GREAT NEWSLETTER!Attention Sellers - Get TemplatesImage Hosting, Scheduling at Auctiva.com. Track Page Views WithAuctiva's FREE Counter

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