Beschreibung:

TRUMAN LETTER SIGNED ON HIS FIRST FULL DAY IN OFFICE. Typed Letter Signed ("Harry S. Truman"), 1 p, 4to, Washington, April 13, 1945, to Harold D. Smith, on mint green White House letterhead, some creasing, page laid down to second sheet, 1 mm of browning at all edges. On April 12, 1945 at 3:45 in the afternoon eastern time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt died from a cerebral hemorrhage. His death automatically elevated Vice-President Harry Truman to the highest office in the land. Harold D. Smith, Roosevelt's Director of the Bureau of the Budget, heard the news of Roosevelt's passing at 5:47 pm as he was preparing to leave for the day. According to family lore, Smith returned to his office and composed a short note on the occasion, the original of which resides in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library (a copy is reproduced here): "My dear Mr. President: / Fate has thrust you into one of the most difficult positions in all history. You must suddenly take the reins held by a man who over a period of time ascended to a place of world leadership and who had developed many intense loyalties that tended to overshadow difficulties when the going was rough. / Few men have been in a better position than I to appreciate the heavy responsibilities and onerous burdens of the Presidency. Sensitive to these, I wish to pledge my support in any way in which you may wish me to serve." Though written that night, Smith dated his letter April 13, 1945, and had it delivered to the White House the next day. Truman read his lieutenant's vote of confidence, and sent this reply: "Dear Mr. Smith: / I certainly appreciate very much your note of April Thirteenth. / There isn't a doubt about my most difficult position. I am going to need all the support and advice I can get, particularly from men of experience. / I certainly appreciate your offer, and shall certainly make use of it. / Sincerely yours, / Harry S. Truman." According to the Harry S. Truman Library (a branch of the National Archives), the daily lists of Truman's correspondence don't begin until after April 13th, so there is no way to know what precedence this letter took in Truman's day. We do know that Truman also signed Proclamation 2648 announcing the death of President Roosevelt on April 13, but auction records do not reveal another letter on White House stationery bearing this date, nor does the Truman Library have one among its holdings. In fact, the archivist at the Truman Library was not aware of any such letters in any institution or private collection until the owner made him aware of this one. It is safe to say then, that this is one of the first, if not the first letter signed by Truman as President, and as such is a true historical rarity.