Office of the Board of Trade.
Boston June 17th 1856.
Commander S. S. Lee,
Sir,
The Boston Board of Trade honoring the motives which dictated the Expedition to Japan in the years 1853-4, and appreciating the eminent services of Commodore Perry on that occasion, and of the officers who so ably co-operated with him and gave efficiency and dignity to his mission, have caused a gold medal to be struck commemorative of the event.
And the undersigned, having been commissioned for the purpose by the Government of the Board, have now the honor to present a copy of the same to you, in silver, in the name of the Merchants of Boston, and to ask your acceptance of it as a token of their high estimation of your services in that Expedition.
Very Respectfully,
Your Obed’t Servants
James M Beebe President
Thomas B. Curtis Chairman of Committee
Isaac C. Bates
Secretary
Source: Photocopy of original letter, Robert Carter Lee Papers, Mss1 L51d 5, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2017 April 18
