Signed by Governor William W. Holden

First American Governor to be impeached and removed from office!

(1818-92) Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841. He became owner and editor of the widely read North Carolina Standard newspaper in 1843. Served as a delegate to the 1843 Democratic Party state convention and was elected a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party state executive committee. Was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons in 1846. Holden was a strong supporter of Southern rights to expand slavery and at times advocated secession. However by 1860 his views had changed and he supported the Union. In 1861, he was sent to the State Convention to vote against secession, but after President Lincoln called on North Carolina to provide troops to suppress the rebellion, Holden joined in the unanimous vote for secession. As the Civil War progressed, he became an outspoken critic of the Confederate government, and was a leader of the North Carolina peace movement. He ran for governor in 1864 as the "peace candidate" against incumbent Zebulon B. Vance, but the latter won in a landslide. When the war ended in 1865, President Andrew Johnson appointed him governor of North Carolina. He played a leading role during the early days of Reconstruction, but in a special election held in late 1865, he was defeated by Jonathan Worth. Holden became president of the North Carolina Union League and organized the Republican Party in the state in 1866-67. Heading the Republican ticket in 1868, he was elected governor, serving 1868-71. In an ongoing battle with the Ku Klux Klan, Holden hired two dozen detectives in 1869-70. Unsuccessful in limiting the activities of the Klan, Holden's efforts to suppress them exceeded those of other Southern governors. When he called out the militia against the Klan in 1870, imposed martial law, and suspended the writ of habeas corpus for accused leaders of the Klan in what became known as the Kirk-Holden war, the result was a political backlash that lost the Republicans the upcoming legislative election. After the Democratic Party regained majorities in both houses of the state legislature, he was impeached on December 14, 1870. Holden was the first governor in American history to be impeached and removed from office!

Bond Signed: 16 x 9 1/4, ornate imprinted document, filled out in ink. Vignettes of the State Capitol, railroad train, and two female figures. 1000 in red overprint. Dated April 1, 1868. Signed in ink, W.W. Holden above his printed title as Governor. Also signed by D.A. Jenkins, Public Treasurer. The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina is embossed at lower right. Archival document tape repairs on the folds on the reverse. Very fine.

Please note that this scan is cropped as the bond is larger than our scanner bed.