WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Few items are more highly prized among collectors of historical artifacts than a handwritten letter from President Lincoln. This letter from President Lincoln to Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase has been returned to the government. Now, there's one fewer in circulation. An Arizona collector handed over to the federal government Thursday a rare handwritten letter from Lincoln to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase. The letter, dated four days before Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, had been missing for more than 60 years. Federal officials, who have not ruled out its possible theft from a government collection, discovered it two years ago during routine monitoring of online auctions.Rare handwritten letter is from Lincoln to Treasury Secretary ChaseLetter is dated four days before Lincoln delivered Gettysburg AddressLarry Cutler says he had owned the document for several yearsCutler returned the letter to the National Archives on Thursday
In the short note, torn from the center of a bound volume, _ tells Chase to do a small favor on behalf of someone recently fired from his job with the federal government. In the short note, torn from the center of a bound volume, Lincoln tells _ to do a small favor on behalf of someone recently fired from his job with the federal government.