Franklin D. Roosevelt: Signed Presidential Appointment....

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt appoints Mr. George Z. Barnes, of Illinois, a "Member of the United States Tariff Commission for the term expiring June 16, 1947," signed by FDR as President, and co-signed by Edward R. Stettinius, Jr., as Acting Secretary of State. The official document, with the Seal of the United States of America, is in pristine condition, with an original FDR signature as War President. The document reads: "Franklin D. Roosevelt/ President of the United States of America/ To all who shall see these Presents, Greeting:/ Know ye, That reposing special trust and confidence in the Integrity and Ability of Mr. George Z. Barnes, of Illinois, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him a Member of the United States Tariff Commission for the term expiring June 16, 1947, and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfil the duties of that Office, according to law, and to have and to hold the said Office, with all the powers, privileges, and emoluments thereunto of right appertaining, unto him the said George Z. Barnes, subject to the conditions prescribed by law./ In testimony whereof, I have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed./ Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and forty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixty-ninth./ Franklin D. Roosevelt/ By the President:/ Edward R. Stettinius, Jr./ Acting Secretary of State." FDR's signature is a bold original, as is the signature of Acting Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. was born in Chicago on October 22, 1900. He was a student at the University of Virginia before starting work with the General Motors Corporation in 1924. In 1934 Stettinius joined the United States Steel Corporation where he became chairman of the board. In May 1940 FDR invited Stettinius to become the head of the new National Defense Advisory Commission. After serving in the Office of Production Management he was appointed Lend-Lease administrator in January, 1941. Appointed under secretary of state in October 1943 he replaced his boss, Cordell Hull, in December 1944, shortly after the issuing of this certificate to Mr. Barnes. Stettinius went with FDR to Yalta and was a delegate to the United Nations Conference at San Francisco in June, 1945. Stettinius, who also served as an American representative to the United Nations, died in 1949. This official document measures 19 x 23," and is a fine example of FDR's signature in the last year of his life. Indeed, Mr. Barnes's appointment by FDR would be for a period of time after FDR's own death on April 12, 1945.