Coolidge Signs His Speech Given Before The American Legion On Tenth Anniversary Of The World War I Armistice by CALVIN COOLIDGE

TMS. 17pg. 6 ¼” x 9”. No date [circa 1928]. No place. A lengthy typed manuscript signed “Calvin Coolidge” at the conclusion. It is a contemporary typescript copy of President Coolidge’s speech on the tenth anniversary of Armistice Day; he gave the speech on November 11, 1928 before the American Legion in the nation’s capital. Some of the stirring content includes: “We meet to give thanks for 10 more years of peace. Amid the multitude of bounties which have been bestowed upon us, we count that our supreme blessing. In all our domestic and foreign relations our chief concern is that it should be permanent. It is our belief that it is coming to be more and more realized as the natural state of mankind. Yet, while we are placing our faith in more complete understanding which shall harmonize with the universal conscience, we ought not to forget that all the rights we now possess, the peace we now enjoy, have been secured for us by a long series of sacrifices and of conflicts. We are able to participate in this celebration because our country had the resources, the character, and the spirit to raise, equip, and support with adequate supplies an Army and a Navy, which, by placing more than 2,000,000 men on the battle fields of Europe contributed to the making of the armistice on the 11th day of November, 1918...As we contemplate the past 10 years, there is every reason to be encouraged. It has been a period in which human freedom has been greatly extended, in which the right of self-government has come to be more widely recognized. Strong foundations have been laid for the support of these principles. We should by no means be discouraged because practice lags behind principle. We make progress slowly and over a course which can tolerate no open spaces. It is a long distance from a world that walks by force to a world that walks by faith. The United States has been so placed that it could advance with little interruption along the road of freedom and faith...It is befitting that we should pursue our course without exultation, with due humility, and with due gratitude for the important contributions of the more ancient nations which have helped to make possible our present progress and our future hope. The gravest responsibilities that can come to a people in this world have come to us. We must not fail to meet them in accordance with the requirements of conscience and righteousness.” The Disabled American Veterans, on the tenth anniversary of the Armistice, raised money by selling forget-me-nots; Mrs. Coolidge received the first one and the President signed a $6 million bill to provide for hospitalization of veterans. Half of the manuscript’s pages have some type of patriotic vignettes at the top. There are also a couple of handwritten corrections and it may have been removed from some type of book proposal. It is in very fine condition with a bold signature. I could locate no other signed copy of this speech.