President Grover Cleveland Will Send the Interstate Commerce Commission Nomination of a Noted Progressive to the Senate For Confirmation He informs Charles Prouty’s sponsor, Senator Redfield Proctor, it will be dispatched the very next day, and hopes Prouty has no conflicts of interest.

13/12/1896. Grover Cleveland Originally a Republican, Charles A. Prouty was a politician and government official from Vermont who was noted for his support of reform movements, including the Progressive Party. He was nominated by President Cleveland to be a commissioner of the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) in 1896, and his sponsor for that post was Vermont Senator Redfield Proctor.Autograph Letter Signed as President, on Executive Mansion letterhead, Washington, December 13, 1896, to Proctor, reporting that he will send the Prouty nomination to the Senate the next day. “I expect the nomination of Mr. Prouty will go to the Senate tomorrow (Monday). I hope it will be promptly, as the work of the Commission is such as to make vigorous help very desirable. I take it for granted that Mr. Prouty is not in the ‘employ’ of any railroad which is subject to the provisions of the act, in such a way as to disqualify him under the law. Upon full consideration I have considered to accept Mr. Veazey’s resignation, to take effect December 20th 1896.” Commissioner Wheelock Veazey had resigned, creating a slot that was being filled by Prouty.Prouty served served until 1914, ending as Chairman of the Commission. While on the Commission, he urged Congress to increase regulation of railroad rates, and allow the Commission to value railroad property. When Congress finally enacted the latter reform, Prouty resigned as a Commission member to become the Commission's first Director of Valuation.This is one of the very few letters of a sitting president relating to a nominee’s confirmation in the Senate that we have ever carried. (Inventory #: 7245)