VINTAGE "Mississippi Senator" Robert Walker Clipped Signature JG Autographs COA For Sale

Up for sale aVINTAGE! "Mississippi Senator" Robert Walker Clipped Signature.This item iscertified authentic by JG Autographs and comes with their Certificate ofAuthenticity.

ES-1650
Robert John Walker(July19, 1801– November 11, 1869) was an American lawyer, economist andpolitician. An active member of theDemocratic Party,he served as a member of theU.S. Senatefrom Mississippi from 1835 until 1845,asSecretary ofthe Treasuryfrom 1845 to 1849 during the administration ofPresidentJames K. Polk, and brieflyasTerritorial Governor ofKansasin 1857. As senator, Walker vigorously supportedtheannexation of Texas. AsSecretary of the Treasury, he held responsibility for the management of fundsrelating to theMexican–American War, andwas involved in a bank scandal. He contributed to a bill called theWalker tariff, which reduced rates to some of the lowest inhistory. Walker was appointed Governor of Kansas in 1857 by PresidentJames Buchananbut resigned shortly after due to hisopposition to the administration-sponsored pro-slaveryLecompton Constitution.After his retirement from politics, Walker supported the United States duringtheAmerican Civil Warandcontinued to practice law in Washington, D.C. Born inNorthumberland,Pennsylvaniato Revolutionary War veteran and Pennsylvaniajudge,Jonathan Hoge Walker(July20, 1754 – March 23, 1824) and his wife Lucretia ("Lucy") DuncanWalker (1770–1837), he and his brother Duncan grew up inBellefonte, Pennsylvaniafrom1806 to 1814, where Jonathan Walker served as presiding judge of the judicialdistrict. Judge Walker become the first Judge of theU.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvaniain1818 (after nomination by PresidentJames Monroeand confirmation by the Senate) and serveduntil his death. Initially educated at theBellefonte Academy,Robert Walker graduated in 1819 atthe top of his class at theUniversity of Pennsylvaniawherehe was a member of thePhilomathean Society. Hemarried Mary Blechynden Bache Walker and had five children, includingDuncan Stephen Walker. RobertWalker became politically prominent during theNullification Crisisof1832, even arguing the federal government's right to coerce rebellious statesand earning praise from former PresidentJames Madison. In 1836 Walker became the Union candidate forU.S. Senate from Mississippi and won election over the incumbentGeorge Poindexter, who had criticized him for rigging offers topurchase land that Mississippi had acquired from theChoctawas a result of theTreaty of Dancing RabbitCreek(1831).Walker served in theUnited States Senateasa Unionist Democrat from 1835 to 1845, winning re-election by a 2 to 1 marginoverSergeant S. Prentiss, aswell as convincing Mississippi legislators to adopt resolutions denouncingnullification and secession as treason. Anardentexpansionist,Walker supported the administration of PresidentAndrew Jacksonand (perhaps to continue his brother'slegacy) voted for recognition of theRepublic of Texasin 1837 and in January 1844 proposedannexation of Texas, subject to gradual emancipation and colonization of itsblack population, for whichJohn C. Calhouncriticized him.Nonetheless, Walker proposed thejointannexationresolutionof 1845. He also worked for the nomination and election ofJames K. Polkin 1844, in part because PresidentMartin Van Burenopposed annexation. Walker also favoredthe award ofpublic landsto newstates and proposed a Homestead bill in 1836. He also endorsed a low tariff(which favored his state's farming interests); opposed distribution of thefederal surplus funds for fear of creating an excuse to raisetariffrates; and, significantly, supported theindependent Treasury system idea. He also opposed theBank of the United States,and later repeal of theMissouri Compromiseof1850. As a Mississippi senator and slaveholder himself, Walker passionatelydefended slavery, while also opposing the African slave trade and favoringgradual emancipation and the efforts of theAmerican ColonizationSociety. He stressed its economic benefits, and claimed slaves/African Americans would fall into turpitude or insanity without firm masters.However, in 1838 Walker freed some of his slaves. Walker also claimed thatindependent Texas had to be annexed to prevent it from falling into the handsof Great Britain, which would use it to spread subversion throughout the South.He warned northerners that if Britain succeeded in undermining slavery, thefreedmen would go north, where "the poor-house and the jail, the asylumsof the deaf and dumb, the blind, the idiot and insane, would be filled tooverflowing."

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