John Hanson. Founding father, merchant, first President of the Confederation Congress and sometimes called the first President of the United States, free frank "John Hanson" as President of the Confederation Congress on folded cover addressed to "His Excellency The Governor of the State of New Jersey", also endorsed "On public Service", docketing on bottom flap notes March 20, 1782, expertly silked

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE FREE FRANK OF JOHN HANSON AS PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATION CONGRESS.

John Hanson was from a prominent Maryland family. He entered politics, serving in several positions before he was elected to the Continental Congress. He and Daniel Carroll signed the Articles of Confederation on behalf of Maryland on March 1, 1781. He was elected as President of the Confederation Congress on November 5, 1781, and some scholars consider him the first elected president of the United States.

The free frank offered here originally enclosed a Resolution calling for the states to set aside April 25, 1782, as a day of fasting and prayer to "give success to his arms employed in the defence of the rights of human nature", among other benevolences (typed transcript accompanies).

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