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Document 31007

JAMES MONROE and JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
Ship's papers for an armed mercantile ship headed for Rio de Janeiro.
Partly Printed DS: "James Monroe" as fifth U.S. President and "John Quincy Adams" as Secretary of State, 1p, 9¾x14¼. Washington, 1820 October 10. On vellum. In full: "Suffer the Ship Galen, John Benedict master or commander of the burthen of three hundred and seventy one tons or thereabouts mounted with four guns navigated with Seventeen men To Pass with her Company, Passengers, Goods and Merchandize without any hindrance seisure (sic) or molestation the said Ship appearing by good testimony to belong to one or more of the Citizens of the United States and to him or them only." Two maritime vignettes at top scalloped edge. Apparently, the American Consulate in Rio de Janeiro wanted the ship to be considered a peaceful, mercantile ship should it be inspected on the high seas; and he docketed the following, in part, on the verso on 26 February 1821: "I Peter Sartoris...do hereby testify that four guns (six pounders)...with their carriages were landed at this port from the within mentioned American Ship Galen which the master of the said ship informed me were the...guns mentioned in this Pass & therefore the said ship shall be considered navigating with no guns...." By 1820, coffee had become very popular in Europe. The product was Brazil's first export. It is probable that when the Ship Galen left Rio de Janeiro, coffee was on board. The document on its front was countersigned by: "J. Gibbon" as Collector of the District of Richmond, Virginia. On August 3, 1789, President Washington nominated JAMES GIBBON of Virginia as Surveyor for the Port of Petersburgh, Virginia. President John Adams nominated Gibbon to be Collector of the District of Richmond on December 2, 1800. On December 8, 1820, President JAMES MONROE nominated Gibbon to be Collector of the District of Richmond and Manchester. Gibbon, re-nominated by President John Q. Adams in 1828 and President Jackson four years later, served as Collector until his death in 1835. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS was Monroe's Secretary of State for eight years (1817-1825), after which he served as sixth U.S. President (1825-1829). Documents signed by two Presidents are extremely desirable. Soiled, creased with folds. Vertical fold touches the first "o" in Monroe. Striations from removal of wax seal. Lightly stained on front, more so on verso.

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