Seven First Lady Autographs

1959. Modest collection of autographs by six U. S. First Ladies. Three Firsts, Mary Lord Harrison, Edith Roosevelt and Grace Coolidge are free frank signatures on envelopes and Mamie Eisenhower and Bess V. Truman are on First Day Issues of their respective Presidential husbands stamp and Lady Bird Johnson is on a placard from her Stonewall, Texas LBJ Ranch. All are in fine condition, with the legible postmarks from various locations and dates. <br /> <br /> Franking has a long history in the U. S. Former Presidents have routinely been granted the franking privilege by statute. Since 1800, Congress has regularly, granted the franking privilege to widows of former Presidents. From 1789 until 1973, the privilege was granted through individual pieces of legislation. The first such grant was to Martha Washington in 1800. In 1973, Congress enacted general legislation to provide the franking privilege to all future surviving spouses of Presidents. Unlike Members of Congress and other federal officials legally entitled to use the frank, few restrictions regarding weight, substantive content, or volume of use have been placed on the franking privilege of former Presidents or widows of Presidents. As governed by the 1973 law, applies only to "nonpolitical mail sent within the United States and its territories.". "A lady's name should appear in print only three times, at her birth, marriage, and death." - Edith Roovevelt.