I usually have a pretty good record identifying signatures which were signed in a hurry and present a garbled, seemingly scrawled mystery. Not this time.
The cover was postmarked Washington D.C. Congress Free on December 28. The envelope is an overall type with among other text: 40th Congress House of Representatives Washington D.C. printed on the front. This should have been my reference to solve the puzzle however it is possible that someone in the Congress, not necessarily a representative but nevertheless a member of government with franking privilege, signed the envelope.
There is also the possibility that the person signing the envelope did so after the 40th Congress.
Anyone care to take a poke at this free frank signature?
Turns out I was wrong, as I completley missed that the cover says 40th Congress (1867-1869). Now I am thinking after the word "free" it says McPherson, who was the Clerk of the House of Representatives at the time.
Yes, I can make out McPherson as you suggest. Great decipher! Could be the name. Once you mentioned McPherson, I then saw the word "free" hurriedly attached to the name McPherson. Now, about the scrawl below McPherson. Hmmm?
Bruce
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