SCRATCHED CONGRATULATIONS FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT WHILE MANGLED HAND HEALS STEPHENS, ALEXANDER H. Autograph Letter Signed, to Zachary Taylor ("My dear Sir"), with his Franking Signature on address leaf, expressing enthusiasm upon Taylor's being elected president, praising his character, and begging forgiveness for the illegibility of his writing. 3 pages, 4to, with integral address leaf; coin-sized seal tear in terminal leaf touching end of signature, scattered uneven toning, docketing on terminal leaf including some possibly in Taylor's hand. Crawfordville, 15 November 1848
"Long before this reaches you the Mystic Wind will have borne to you the most glorious intelligence of the Result of the late election not only in this State but throughout the Union. "This Result I am persuaded will not be half so gratifying to you personally as, it is, and will be, to thousands and millions of people who look upon it as a great moral and political Revolution and a Sure guaranty against a continuance of that Reckless and mischievous policy which has characterized the administration of our Government for some years. . . . "Please excuse this scrawl as it has been literally scratched with the left hand. I can not yet use my right hand and fear I never shall be able to write with it again. . . ." Not long before writing the present letter, Stephens's right hand was mangled while defending himself against the knife attack of Judge Reuben Cone. Before the attack, Stephens had promised to strike Cone if, in person, he denounced him as a traitor. Upon meeting in the street, Cone spoke the words, whereupon Stephen struck him. Cone then produced a dagger and stabbed him several times before being pulled away by bystanders. See Johnston and Browne, Life of Alexander H. Stephens, ch. XXII, 1883.
