ANDREW JACKSON | A warm and open letter from Andrew Jackson to his wife, Rachel

ANDREW JACKSON

AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("ANDREW JACKSON"), TO HIS WIFE, RACHEL JACKSON

2 1/2 pages (7 3/4 x 9 3/4 in.; 198 x 248 mm) on two leaves, Washington 27 February 1826, franked "Free Andrew Jackson" on verso of second leaf; first leaf silked, the upper portion of the second, containing the last paragraph and signature of letter and address and frank, backed and hinged to the first, the lower portion wanting. 

A warm and open letter form Andrew Jackson to his wife, Rachel

"I am happy...that there is nothing on your mind to trouble and perplex it, except by absence," Jackson begins, "this, my love, a few more weeks will dispel by my return, although I cannot say with positiveness when I will be able to leave here, but hope by the middle of April— be assured that I will not remain one day longer than I can help." 

Rachel Jackson (née Donelson) was first married to Lewis Robards. In about 1791, believing that Robards had secured a divorce, she eloped with Andrew Jackson. This was later revealed not to be the case, and they had to remarry in 1794 after the divorce had been finalized. Rachel had a close relationship with her husband, as evidenced in this letter, and was often anxious while he was required to be away in order to tend to his military and political affairs.

In 1825, the "Jackson party" was born, merging Democrat-Republicans and Jeffersonian-Republicans opposed to strong central government. They would come to be known simply as Democrats. In October of that same year, Jackson was nominated for the presidency by the Tennessee legislature, more than three years before the 1828 election. The campaign proved heavily personal, with Rachel frequently the target of the opposition's attacks. The present letter reflects not only the closeness of Jackson and his wife, but also the tumultuousness of that period in their lives. "How grateful I am to providence for the competency he has blessed us with should it be his pleasure to call me hence before you what a consolation," Jackson writes near the end of this letter, "...to reflect that I did not leave you dependent on an ungrateful world..."

Rachel died of a heart attack in 1828, just three weeks after Jackson's election victory, and 10 weeks before he took office. Jackson was convinced that the abuse of Adams's supporters had brought on Rachel's death, which he never forgave them for.

PROVENANCE:

Parke-Bernet, 17 February 1970, lot 143