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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Walton, George (1749 or 50-1804) to Samuel Elbert

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00855 Author/Creator: Walton, George (1749 or 50-1804) Place Written: Savannah, Georgia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 7 September 1785 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 23 x 18.5 cm. Order a Copy

Discusses the extradition of a murderer from a neighboring Catholic province, possibly Spanish Florida, to Georgia. Stresses the importance of this matter in making Georgia's government appear decisive and strong. Asks Elbert to write to the Catholic governor of the province to request that the murderer be given up.

Written as chief justice of Georgia. Walton was a member of the Continental Congress 1776, 1777, 1780, and 1781, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the governor of Georgia 1779. Elbert was the governor of Georgia in 1785.

Walton, George, 1749-1804
Elbert, Samuel, 1740-1788

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