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Perusal of the letters–to–the–editor section of almost any philatelic publication reveals considerable concern about the individuals whose images adorn recent postage stamps. Generally critical, writers have opposed nearly all the selections, even questioning the sanity of those in charge of the selection process. Not quite so numerous, but equally vocal and enthusiastic, are writers seeking official recognition of certain persons so far neglected. On behalf of those of us who collect revenue stamps rather than postal issues, I venture to point out that al- though we no longer have this problem (newly–designed revenue stamps have not appeared in this country for years), we often do have a recognition problem with some of those featured on past issues. We can easily demonstrate the difficulty with a few examples. Before doing that, however, we should note that the persons who have appeared on revenues commonly were officials of the federal government. Although this same source has been used with postage stamps, a greater number and variety of fiscal issues have been involved. Consequently, the designers of these stamps have some- times reached deeper into the bureaucratic hierarchy as the following examination will show. A. Presidents & Vice–Presidents Many United States presidents have been honored re- peatedly on both postage and revenue stamps. Thirteen have appeared on various fiscal issues. As with postage stamps, has been most popular, ap- pearing on more different revenue issues than any other chief executive. See Table 1, page 6. Washington has been pictured most often as a figure modeled after the 1796 portrait by Gilbert Stuart, most other models have also been used (see Figure 1, page 2).

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  If you enjoy this article, and are not already a subscriber, for $12 a year you can enjoy 60+ pages a month. To subscribe, email [email protected] Figure 1, left to right: First Issue 10¢ Certificate Sc. R33a; 1898 I.R. Overprint, Sc. R155; 1871 5¢ Proprietary, Sc. RB5

F o r Figure 2. on a r e a s o n s 2 ounce Tobacco Strip Stamp unknown to me, Washington’s successor, President , never was pictured on a revenue stamp. However, the portrait of his son, sixth President John Quincy Adams, was used on all Tobacco Strip stamps issued by this country beginning in 1877 (Figure 2). Among the more recent presidents to be pictured was the 20th, James A. Garfield, who appeared, among other things, on Tobacco Strip stamps in 1875 (not shown—we would appreciate an image of this stamp). At the time, Garfield was in his twelfth year as a U.S. representative from Ohio, and had not yet been elected to the presidency. Let me digress at this point to say something about Garfield’s eligibility to be pictured on a U.S. stamp. Present criteria regarding suitable subjects do exclude all living persons. Additionally, a ten–year rule concerning deceased individuals generally applies, the only exception being U.S. presidents who may be honored on the first birth anniversary following their death. These criteria were not formalized until 1957, however, and it remains unclear whether they even apply to revenue stamps. [Since this article, the USPS has relaxed the rules and will now even allow living people to be so honored. JFD.] A possible precedent is contained in the Congressional Act of April 7, 1866, which states (in part): “That no por-

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  trait or likeness of any living person hereafter engraved, shall be placed upon any of the bonds, securities, notes, Fractional or Postal Currency of the United States.” This prohibition came after Spencer M. Clark (1810-90), Su- perintendent of the National Currency Bureau, had his own likeness put on the 5¢ note of the Third Fractional Currency issue (1864–69) without authority from his su- periors. Note, however, that “revenue stamps” were not included among the fiscal instruments listed in this leg- islation, so the prohibition may be moot here also. Only two of the men who followed President Garfield into that office also followed him onto revenue stamps. Gro- ver Cleveland, 22nd and 24th president, appeared posthumously on the $50 Fu- ture Delivery Stamp, Series of 1918–34 (Scott RC17) and on the $50 Stock Transfer Stamp, Series (Scott RD20). Both of these stamps are surcharged and are of interest because the basic set of Figure 3. Cleveland, Documentary stamps from which these on Sc. RC17 supposedly were derived did not include a $50 value. Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president, was pictured on the Series of 1875 Customs stamps (not shown, image needed), fourteen years before he attained the presi- dency. Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901), Ohio-born, grandson of president William Henry Harrison, practiced law in In- diana before the Civil War. When war came, he recruited and commanded the 70th Indiana Volunteer Regiment and rose to the rank of brigadier general. Returning to private law practice when the fighting ended, his war record and political contacts led to his nomination in 1876 as the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Harrison lost that election but four years later was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served from 1881 to 1887. He narrowly defeated incumbent President Cleveland in the 1888 election but lost decisively to him in 1892.

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Vice–Presidents fared even more poorly than presidents. Only two, Jefferson and Fillmore, ever had their portraits on revenue issues. In both cases, the men acceded to the presiden- cy, and their inclusion on these stamps may be considered to de- rive from that office. In any case, both appeared on tobacco issues: Jefferson on Class A Cigarettes stamps, Series of 1872; Fillmore on Tobacco Strip stamps, Series of 1875. This was the only issue Figure 4, Jefferson on 1878 that pictured him, but Jefferson’s Beer stamp, Sc. REA41b portrait was also used on other revenue stamps (Figure 4). Half of the first ten men who served as Secretary of State later became president. Of the five of that group who did not attain that office, only two—Marshall and Clay—ever graced revenue stamps. The neglected three were Edmond Randolph (second Secretary of State, served 1794-95), (third in that office, served 1795–1800), and Robert Smith (sixth to head the State Department, served 1809-11). So far as I know, none of these three men has ever been pictured on a postage stamp either. (1755–1835), Virginia legislator, U.S. congressman, and Su- preme Court justice, served as President John Adams’ Secretary of State from June 6, 1800, to March 4, 1801. Before his secretariat expired, however, Marshall was appointed Chief–Justice of the Su- preme Court, effective January 31, 1801. He then presided at that court while still Fig. 5, R179 head of the State Department. The $100 Documentary stamp issued in 1899 (Scott R179) bears Marshall’s portrait (Figure 5). (1771 –1852), U.S. Senator and Speaker of the House of Representatives, known as “The Great

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Compromiser,” was appointed Secretary of State in 1825 by President John Quincy Adams following a contested presidential Fig. 6. Henry Clay, on a stamp election in which Clay was one of the four candidates. His tenure in the State Department ended with Adams’ presi- dency. Clay’s portrait appeared on the Cigars (Figure 6) and small Cigars stamps commencing in 1878. With only minor variations, it was used for 80 years. Following Clay, the next Secretary of State to be por- trayed on a revenue stamp was Louis McLane who served as one of President Jackson’s Secretaries of the Treasury, and his appearance on a revenue issue is better consid- ered to have been based upon this earlier service. The same may be said of Walter Q. Gresham (Postmaster General, 1883–84; Secretary of the Treasury, 1884; Sec- retary of State, 1893–95) and (Secretary of the Treasury, 1877–81; Secretary of State, 1897–98). McLane, Gresham, and Sherman will be considered in later sections. One additional State Department head may be cited here, however. Wil- liam H. Seward (1801–1872), Governor of New York and U.S, Senator, was ap- pointed Secretary of State in 1861 by newly–elected President Lincoln. Presi- dent Andrew Johnson reappointed him and Seward remained in the cabinet until 1869. Seward’s profile portrait appeared on the large Class A Cigarettes stamps, Fig. 7, Seward, on Series of 1875, and was also used on the a 2 ounce Snuff ounce–values of the Snuff stamps (Figure stamp 7), beginning in 1878.

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Table 1. Individuals Portrayed on Revenue Stamps A. U.S. Presidents George Washington (Figure 1) 1st, 2nd, 3rd Documentary issues (1862–74) 1st, 2nd Proprietary issues (1871–81) Provisional overprint (1898) 1/8th barrel Beer stamps (1878–1902) Revenue Stamped Paper, Types C,J,K,L,M,S,W (1865– 75) Private Die Proprietary (Match) stamps: V. R. Powell (1864–75), Washington Match Co. (1875); (Medicine) stamps: Fleming Brothers (1863–80), Fred Brown Co. (1869–83), Dr. Kilmer & Co. provisional (1898) Cigar stamps (1866–71) Snuff stamps (1872) Tobacco stamps (1871-1872) Tobacco strip stamps (1869–70) Customs Cigars stamp (1868) (Figure 4) 1/2 Barrel Beer stamps (1878–1902) Snuff stamps (1872) Tobacco Strip stamps (1875) Class A Cigarette stamps (1872) Revenue Stamped Paper, Type Q (1865– 75) Snuff stamps (1875) Madison, on 1899 $1000 Documentary stamp (1899, 1917) $1,000, Sc. R181 $1000 Future Delivery stamp (1918–34) $1000 Stock Transfer stamp (1918) Snuff stamps (1875) John Quincy Adams Monroe, on a half- Tobacco Strip Stamps (1877 ff, Figure 2) ounce Snuff stamp

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  1/8th Barrel Beer stamps (1871) Snuff stamps (1875) Tobacco Strip stamps (1872) General Bonded Warehouse stamps (1894) Zachary Taylor Snuff stamps (1872) Jackson, on 1/8th Tobacco Strip stamps Barrel Beer stamp, Sc. REA20c (1875)

Taylor on Snuff Taxpaid Springer #TE31

Fillmore on Tobacco Taxpaid Springer #TG69B Tobacco Strip stamps (1875) Abraham Lincoln 1/6th Barrel Beer stamps (1871) Revenue Stamped Paper, Types P, R, V (1865-75) Snuff stamps (1870–72) Tobacco stamps (1870-72) Tobacco Strip stamps (1870–75) $60 Documentary stamp (1917) $60 Future delivery stamp Lincoln, on a Rev- enue Stamped (1918) Paper proof Ulysses S. Grant Cigar stamps (1869–71) Tobacco stamps (1869–72) Customs Cigars stamps (1871–73) $30 Documentary stamp (1917) $30 Future Delivery stamp (1918) Grant, on 1917 $30 Documenta- James A. Garfield ry, Sc. R246 Tobacco Strip stamps (1875)

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Grover Cleveland (Figure 3) $50 Future Delivery stamps (1918–34) $50 Stock Transfer stamp (1918) Benjamin Harrison Customs Cigar stamp (1875) U. S. Vice–Presidents Thomas Jefferson (2nd Vice–President) Millard Fillmore (12th Vice–President) These two were the only ones pictured and both acceded to the presidency. See above. B. Cabinet Officers Secretary of State: John Marshall (Figure 5) $100 Documentary stamp (1899) Henry Clay (Figure 6) Cigars & Small Cigars stamps (1878 ff) Louis McLane See also Secretaries of Treasury section William H. Seward (Figure 7) McLane, on Large Class A Cigarettes stamps (1875) Sc. R420 Ounce values Snuff stamps (1878) Walter Q. Gresham See Secretaries of Treasury section John Sherman See also Secretaries of Treasury sec- tion

J. Sherman on Springer TE62P3

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  Cabinet Officers, Cont. The decision to consider the position of Secretary of State first among the cabinet officers is in agreement with the order of precedence believed by many to exist within the federal hierarchy when that ranking is arranged ac- cording to the ages of the various executive departments. The “cabinet” has no legal existence or power, and is not required by the U.S. Constitution. As the term generally applied to the group of presidential advisers consisting of the heads of executive departments, it has been used since the late 18th century. The cabinet’s size has grown as the number of federal departments increased, but member- ship in this executive council remains a presidential pre- rogative. Until President Cleveland’s first administration, the cabinet contained only seven members. From President Lincoln’s Civil Wartime cabinet, three of these men (Chase, Seward, and Stanton) have been pictured on revenue stamps. Postmaster General Blair appeared on a 1963 airmail stamp (Scott C66). Continuing the scheme explained above, we will exam- ine other cabinet members in the chronological order of the foundings of the departments they represent. The Secretary of War was the titular head of a gov- ernmental unit dating from August 7, 1789, the second federal department organized that year. Originally, the War Department included all branches of the military, but on April 30, 1798, Congress created a separate Navy Department. Much later, when the Department of Defense was legislated into existence on September 18, 1947, the De- partments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force became units within the Defense Department and their cabinet status ceased. From 1789 to 1947, 55 different men headed the War Department. Three of them (James Monroe, Ulysses S. Grant, and William H. Taft) subsequently became presi- dent, an office we have already considered. A fourth, John C. Calhoun, we have previously cited for his vice–presiden- tial tenure (he served under two presidents), but he also

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net  served as Secretary of War and Secretary of State. Five other men also served in both of these positions (Timothy Pickering, James Monroe, , William L. Marcy, and ) but all of these double secretaries failed to be pictured on a revenue issue except Monroe (page 6). Seven other Secretary of War appointees (, William H. Crawford, John C. Spencer, Edwin M. Stanton, John A. Pawlins, William T. Sherman, and Wil- liam W. Belknap) were portrayed on fiscal stamps. The first three of these also served as Secretary of the Treasury, however, and their appearance on revenue stamps will be considered in this article, with the other Treasury officials so honored. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War (1862-68) under Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, earlier served (1860- 61) as President Buchanan’s Attorney General. President Grant later nominated him to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court; the Senate confirmed his appointment but he died before taking office. Stanton was pictured in the 1870 issue of Tobacco Strip stamps. What appears to be the same bust portrait was used on the 50¢ note in the Fourth General Issue of Fractional Currency, 1869-75, printed from a plate made by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. That portrait may well have served both uses. John A. Rawlins was the first (and youngest) of three ex-Union Army generals appointed by President Grant to be Secretary of War. Rawlins had contracted tuberculosis while in the Army and attempted unsuccessfully to restore his health by accompanying military engineer Grenville Dodge (Dodge City was named for him) on a survey of the proposed route of the Union Pacific Railroad from Omaha to Salt Lake City. After only five months in office, however, Rawlins died in Washington of TB on September 6, 1869. He was pictured posthumously on stamps of the First Series of 1875 Snuff stamp issue. William T. Sherman was raised as the foster son of U.S. Senator who arranged his admission to Point. Sherman later married Ewing’s daughter. During the Civil War, Sherman served as a division com-

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 10 mander in Grant’s Army of the Tennessee, and reluctantly accepted appointment by his former commander-in-chief to succeed Rawlins as Secretary of War. He served in that office less than six weeks, however, before returning to the Army as Commanding General. He retired in 1884 as General of the Army, the last soldier to hold that title until the rank was revived in 1944 for Dwight D. Eisenhower. Sherman was portrayed on the 1869 issues of both Cigar and Manufactured Tobacco stamps. General Sherman also had an unintentional revenue connection: the violet-brown 8¢ value in the BEP-produced regular postage stamp se- ries of 1895 (Scott 272) is known printed accidentally on the USIR watermarked paper meant to be used only with revenue stamps. The Treasury Department was created by an act of Congress approved September 2, 1789 making it the third- oldest executive unit in our government. Established origi- nally to manage the nation’s finances, the department’s responsibilities increased and broadened considerably over the years. Treasury does control the coinage and printing of money, but through its Bureau of Engraving & Printing, it also produces most other official paper, including bonds, certificates, commissions, and stamps. The Internal Revenue Service, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and the Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco Bureau, among others, are also under Treasury’s jurisdiction. Beginning with President Washington’s selection of as the First Secretary of the Trea- sury, through the end of the 19th century and President McKinley’s appointment of Lyman J. Gage to head the Treasury Department, 40 different individuals held that position. Nearly half had Congressional experience; many served in both the House and the Senate. Nearly a dozen Secretaries of the Treasury served also as cabinet officers representing other executive departments. As we noted earlier, four Treasury heads also served as Secretary of War, and four others directed the State Department. Even more versatile, was President Madison’s At- torney General (1814-17) and served briefly as President

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 11 Monroe’s Secretary of State (1817) before he accepted President John Quincy Adams’ appointment to be his Secretary of the Treasury (1825-29). In 1914, BEP introduced new Documentary and Propri- etary revenue stamp series, both printed by offset. Three years later (1917), another newly-designed Documentary series, printed by offset to shorten production time, was issued. This series became the work horse of revenue stamps when it was overprinted to create six additional revenue titles. Some of these overprinted issues remained in use until World War II, and this prolonged usage led, first, to dated overprints, and then to a totally different set of stamps. This new issue of red Documentary stamps – the Secretaries of the Treasury series – is the most exten- sive issue picturing government officials this country has ever produced. Interestingly, the basic design of this new series (the “reds”) was itself soon adapted to several other titles and the “greens” (Stock Transfer) and the “grays” (Silver Tax) made their appearance. As their name indicates, the red dated Documentary series features the bust portraits of former Secretaries of the Treasury, beginning with Alexander Hamilton (first Secretary, 1789-95) and ending with Lyman J. Gage (42nd Secretary, 1897-1902). Eleven former Treasury heads who served in the interim were not included, presumably because all but one of them had previously been pictured on some revenue stamp. The lone exception was Benjamin H. Bristow, the 30th Secretary (1874-76), appointed by President Grant. So far as I can determine, Bristow has yet to appear on any stamp, revenue or postage. Even without these men the series is impressive, however, es- pecially if we include all of the red dated docs issued from 1940 through 1958. Totaling nearly 450 different stamps, the extended series includes 34 different face designs pic- turing 29 different men, each a former Secretary of the Treasury. More could be counted if we were to include the two related series of greens and grays. Table 2 correlates the men and the stamps of these three series.

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 12 TABLE 2 SECRETARIES OF THE TREASURY SERIES

Scott Numbers Secretary Face Value Documentary Stock Transfer Silver Tax Alexander Hamilton 1¢ R288 RD67 RG58 Oliver Wolcott Jr. 2¢ R289 RD68 RG59 Samuel Dexter 3¢ R290 RG60 4¢ R291 RD70 RG61 George W. Campbell 5¢ R292 RD71 RG62 Alexander J. Dallas 8¢ R293 RG63 William H. Crawford 10¢ R294 RD73 RG64 Richard Rush 20¢ R295 RD74 RG65 Samuel D. Ingham 25¢ R296 RD75 RG66 Louis McLane 40¢ R297 RD76 RG67 William J. Duane 50¢ R298 RD77 RG68 Roger B. Taney 80¢ R299 RD78 RG69 $1 R300 RD79 RG70 Thomas Ewing $2 R301 RD80 RG71 $3 R302 RD81 RG72 John C. Spencer $4 R303 RD82 RG73 George M. Bibb $5 R304 RD83 RG74 Robert J. Walker $10 R305 RD84 RG75 William M. Meredith $20 R305A RD85 RG76 $30 R306 RD86 RG77 James Guthrie $50 R306A RD87 RG78 $60 R307 RD88 RG79 Phillip F. Thomas $100 R308 RD89 RG80 John A. Dix $500 R309 RD90 RG81 Salmon P. Chase $1000 R310 RD91 RG82 $2500 R617 RD185A Charles J. Folger $5000 R618 RD185B Walter Q. Gresham $10000 R619 RD185C Lyman J. Gage 55¢ R597 $1.10 R600 $1.65 R601 $2.20 R603 $2.75 R604 $3.30 R606 Scott catalogue numbers shown are those of the first stamps having that design that appeared in each series; later-dated overprints permitted subsequent issue of the same design.

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 13 The Secretaries of the Treasury Series

R654a, Hamilton, Series 1954 R289, Wolcott, missing overprint, imperf vert. Series 1940

R290, Dexter, R291, Gallatin, R292, Campbell, Series 1940 Series 1940 Series 1940

R293, Dallas, R294, Crawford, R418, Rush, Series 1940 Series 1940 Series 1945

RD368, Ingham, RD347, McLane, R299, Taney, Stock Transfer Stock Transfer 1940 Imperf

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 14 RD79, Woodbury, R96a, Ewing, R400, Forward, Stock Transfer Series “5942” error Series 1944

RG123, Spencer, RG124, Bibb, RD371, Walker, 1944 Silver Tax 1944 Silver Tax Stock Transer

RD372, Meredith, RD86, Corwin, RG78, Guthrie, Stock Transer Stock Transfer 1941 $50 Silver Tax

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 15 R647, Cobb, R458, Thomas, RG131, Dix, 1944 Series 1953 Series 1946 $500 Silver Tax

RG132, Chase, 1944 RD232, Windom, R704, Folger, $1,000 Silver Tax 1946 Stock Transer Series 1956

R687, Gresham, R603, Gage, Series 1954 Series 1952

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 16 The Treasury Secretaries series—reds, greens, and grays – include stamps of three different sizes. The small- est, approximately 19 x 22 mm in design size, are those denominated in cents, 1¢ through 80¢. Stamps having face values of $1 to $20 are larger, approximately 21-1/2 x 36-1/4 mm, printed in a tall vertical format. Those of the highest values with denominations of $30 to $10,000 are approximately 28-1/2 x 42 mm in size, and were issued without gum. All stamps in the three series were printed from engraved plates and issued either perf 11 (1¢ to $20) or perf 12 ($30 to $10,000) on watermarked paper. All overprinting was done in black. To Be Continued

Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net 17 If you enjoyed this article, and are not already a subscriber, for $12 a year you can enjoy 60+ pages a month. To subscribe, email [email protected]