Appointment as Temporary Secretary of Treasury Signed by Lincoln to the man who would later plan his Funeral

Abraham Lincoln Appointment to Temporary Secretary of Treasury Signed to the man who would later plan Lincoln’s Funeral "Abraham Lincoln" boldly as president. One page, 7.75" x 6.25", Washington, October 17, 1864. It reads, in full:

"George Harrington is hereby appointed to discharge the duties of Secretary of the Treasury, during the absence of Wm. P. Fessenden, the Secretary." Harrington was the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during the Lincoln presidency and would act as Secretary when Fessenden, or previously Chase, was away from his duties. This formal presidentially-signed appointment was a required procedure in this period of history. Just six months after the date of this appointment, it was Harrington's sad duty to plan the Washington funeral for the slain president; he acted as Grand Marshal of the funeral procession. Matted to an overall 20" x 13" with the seal and certificate of Charles Hamilton on the original backing paper. Very light toning, central horizontal fold has been reinforced.

Harrington was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1815. By 1842 he was living in Washington and had become a clerk for the Navy Department. During James K. Polk’s administration, he started working for the United States Treasury as a clerk and moved up the ranks through the next several administrations. He became chief clerk under Salmon P. Chase, then, in 1861, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. Lincoln apparently trusted Harrington, since he appointed him to serve as Acting Secretary of the Treasury at least 21 times, when Treasury Secretaries Chase, William P. Fessenden and Hugh McCulloch were absent from Washington or otherwise unable to perform their duties. Imagine the responsibility of planning Lincoln’s funeral after his assassination in such a short period of time of 4 days. The level of complexity must have been enormous, with figuring out what and who to use for the procession and which dignitaries would be part. Harrington himself was named Grand Marshal for the procession (he later received a personal letter of thanks from Mrs. Lincoln for his efforts).

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