USA Daniel Webster – Secretary of State Letter – Passport and Citizenship

Arguably America’s greatest orator, statesman Daniel Webster practiced prominently as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a U.S. Congressman (1813-1817, 1823-1827), a U.S. Senator (1827-1841, 1845-1850), and U.S. Secretary of State (W.H. Harrison & Tyler 1841-1843, Fillmore 1850–52). An enthusiastic nationalist and an advocate of business interests during the period of the Jacksonian agrarianism, Daniel Webster arguing a series of important cases before the Supreme Court, influencing a number of Chief Justice John Marshall’s opinions and, through them, the development of constitutional law.

Appointed Secretary of State by the first Whig President, William Henry Harrison, Webster remained in John Tyler’s cabinet after Harrison died a month after his inauguration, even though Whig leader Henry Clay induced all other cabinet members to resign in protest against Tyler’s anti-bank and anti-tariff stand. Tyler was not a Whig; he had served as a Democratic Republican, Jacksonian, and Anti-Jacksonian as Virginia Governor, Senator, and Congressman.

Webster had hopes of forming a new political combination, this time with Tyler. He also hoped to arrange a settlement of the Maine boundary dispute and other controversies with Great Britain. This he succeeded in doing by means of the Webster-Ashbutton Treaty (1842). He realized he had no chance to realize the dream of a Tyler-Webster party, so he resigned as President Tyler’s Secretary of State in 1843.

Born in Virginia on February 9, 1773, William Henry Harrison became the ninth president of the United States in 1841. Elected at age 67, he was then the oldest man to take the office, and became the first U.S. president to die in office. His one-month tenure was the shortest.

Department of State
Washington, August 28th 1841

Thomas Bakewell Esqr
New York

Sir,
the passports for yourself, Mr. Campbell and daughter, have been sent to the Collector of the Customs at New York, who will deliver them to you upon receiving evidence of citizenship, and a description of your persons.

I am, Sir,
Your Obedient Servant
Daniel Webster