The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and California, to which is added a Description of the Physical Geography of California. With recent notices of The Gold Rush.
Buffalo. Geo. H. Derby and Co. 1851. 12mo, 19.3cm, 456p., double portrait frontis plate & 2 plate views, publisher's advert on rear paste-down, original brown black cloth, original yellow endpapers, text and plates clean, some restoration on the edges, a near fine bright copy housed in dark blue slipcase, gilt ruled raised bands, double maroon and black leather labels, dark blue black cloth in similar fold over chemise.(cgc). Item #42259
An early edition of several editions published for those considering a westward move, This copy with an interesting Autograph Letter, signed by Fr‚mont, to Charles F[rederick]. Mayer, affixed to verso of first frontispiece. The portraits are of Fremont and of Col. J. J. Albert, Head of the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Graff 1435. Smith 3360. The book is an early edition of several editions published for those considering a westward move. Fremont (1813-1890) was an important figure in nineteenth-century United States, an explorer of the far west, famous in Gold Rush history, one of the first of two U.S. senators from California, and a failed Republican presidential candidate. The recipient of the letter, Charles F. Mayer (1797-1864) was the scion of an important Baltimore family, and was a lawyer and president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The letter is dated "Washington City, July 27, 1850", and Fremont writes: My dear Sir, have to thank you for the attention of yours of yesterday, which I received last night. Like yourself I think that there are no objections to be entertained to Andrew Smith's Lease, and am glad that you write accordingly to Mr. Robert (?). I shall ask Mr. Robert to let him have it and urge him (Smith) to come out immediately to the ground. The opinion of Mr. Rose (?) will be valuable in England if he is known there, and in any case must have some weight, although it can only be upon the general subject of the validity of California, as mine in particular cannot be known to him. Permit me to remind you of Mr. Webster's opinion although it is unnecessary to do so. I write to both our friends by this mail. I hear that Stockton and Aspinwall are enthusiastic about mining in California gold. Yours truly, J. C. Fremont. Daniel Webster was strongly in favour of acquiring as much California land as was possible and Fremont had known him since Webster was Secretary of State; Andrew Smith was an engineer and the lessee of Golden Mountain during the Gold Rush; [William Henry] Aspinwall (1807-1875) owned Howland & Aspinwall, which popularized the use of clipper ships, and founded, in I848, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company to provide service to California (very timely, indeed, since the Gold Rush began the following year !); [Robert] Stockton (1795-1866) was a naval commodore, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. An interesting and very relevant letter.
Price: $3,000.00