Auction Name: 2026 June 19 The John H. Freund Americana Collection Signature® Auction

Lot Number: 42168

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/6331*42168

James Garfield Autograph Letter Signed ("J. A. Garfield"). Two pages on one leaf, 8 x 10 1/8 inches; Washington, D.C.; August 7th, 1876.

A politically charged letter from Representative James A. Garfield of Ohio to Captain A. W. Stiles, written in the immediate aftermath of a major House debate with L.Q.C. Lamar of Mississippi, one of the leading Democratic voices of the postwar South. Garfield writes, in full:

"My Dear Captain:

Your very interesting letters of July 24th and August 4th came duly to hand. I should have answered sooner but the last four days have been absorbed in the exciting work of the House and particularly in the debate in which I replied to Lamar. I will send you the speech in a short time.

You are doing splendid and making me more grateful to you every day for your good generalship and earnest friendship.

Please make a list from time to time of each persons as you particularly want one to send documents to. You occasionally meet men who are active and earnest and who I would be glad to remember.

Thorp was here today and tells me he leaves for Ohio tomorrow. I requested him to do nothing without consulting you who are in the field. To this he asserted and I think he will act according.

With kindest regards to all our friends
I am, As Ever, Yours
J. A. Garfield."

Before writing this letter to Captain A.W. Stiles, Garfield had recently been involved in a heated back and forth with fellow Representative, L.Q.C. Lamar, a Democrat from Mississippi during the 44th Congressional in July/August of 1876. Lamar spoke out boldly against the Republicans, their mistreatment and oppression of the South post-Civil War, the differing stances on race relations, and more. In response to Lamar's outburst on the House floor, Garfield fired back at Lamar blaming Democrats for the Civil War, arguing that they could not be trusted.

After this interaction on the House floor, Garfield would become a prominent and outspoken Republican voice, especially as the Election of 1876 approached. The Republican candidate and fellow Ohioan, Rutherford B. Hayes, would go on to win the presidency that year.

Condition: Very good. Some creasing along folds, with some light soiling to that creasing (primarily visible on the reverse). Ink annotation on the reverse. Minor corner wear and minor splits at the ends of folds. An interesting and highly legible letter.

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