Denver, the Man: The Life, Letters and Public Papers of the Lawyer, Soldier and Statesman [Autograph edition]

372 pages. Autograph Edition. *** A biography of the man who gave Colorado's capital its name -- a land speculator named his settlement after James W. Denver, then governor of the Kansas Territory, which included present-day Colorado. Denver also served as a general during the Civil War and as the Secretary of State of California. *** This is one of a small number of copies of this book bound with an original autograph letter. The letter is written on thin tissue paper, which was removed from a copy press book - an early letter copying technology. The writer wrote his letters using a special slow drying ink in a book of thin paper sheets. After the letter was finished, the writer's letterhead was placed below the tissue paper and a special oiled paper was inserted in front of the tissue paper and behind the letterhead, to prevent the ink from spreading to other sheets of paper. The copy book was placed in a modified bookpress for a few seconds, which forced the ink through the copy paper and onto the letterhead sheet. In this way, the writer kept the original and sent the copy on letterhead. First edition (first printing). A near fine copy, no dust jacket. A bit of wear to the spine ends and small scuffs to the rear cover. Signed letter by Denver in printed envelope affixed to front free endpaper. The letter in this copy was written in 1870 regarding a land patent in Santa Cruz, California. At the time the letter was written, Denver was an attorney in private practice in Washington, DC.…