January 14, 1865

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Abraham Lincoln endorsement]

Lincoln endorsement written on the fourth page of an autograph letter signed of P. Golden from Bangor, Maine to John H. Rice of Washington dated 29 December 1864. Golden asks that a cousin John Murphy, a prisoner of war, be discharged. Golden explains that Murphy was forced into Confederate service and tried to escape but did not succeed. He had to rejoin under another name in the 42nd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, where he was taken prisoner. He is being held at Point Lookout in Maryland. Calls Murphy a "true Union man" and refers Rice to Vice President Hannibal Hamlin for further…

GLC01772

August 25, 1842

Houston, Sam, 1793-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Col. Thomas William Ward

Letter written as President of the Republic of Texas. Accompanied by an Executive Department order written and signed in secretarial hand. Letter discusses predicting peace with Mexico & Indians and Texas

GLC01777

April 29, 1842

Reily, James, fl. 1841-1846

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Col. Thomas Ward

Reily lobbied for Texas in Congress. Letter written during the escalating crisis between the United States and Mexico which ultimately led to the Mexican War. Reily writes "My heart fondly turns to Texas." Letter also discusses a diplomatic report from Washington.

GLC01778

September 9, 1782

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Letter signed

Title: to Gen. David Forman

Letter written in the hand of Washington's aide-de-camp Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Written two months before the signing of the first provisional peace treaty between Great Britain and the United States in Paris on November 30, during the uneasy lull that followed American victory at Yorktown in September 1781. As Brigadier General of New Jersey militia, Forman had acted as Washington's watchman since 1780 by keeping the Commander in Chief advised of enemy movements off the coast. Even after ratification of the peace treaty, it was not until November 1783 that British troops entirely evacuated…

GLC01783

1775

Macaulay, Catharine, 1731-1791

Book

Title: An address to the people of England, Ireland, and Scotland, on the present important crisis of affairs [Reprinted in "English defenders of American freedoms, 1774-1778"]

See the Macaulay papers, GLC 1784.01-1800.04. Vigorous, inflammatory attack on government of George III. Alerts people of Ireland, Scotland, and England to dangers of legislation without representation and parliamentary oppression. Solutions include the requirement of a civil test for all elected officials to ensure responsibility to the people, and the overturning of septennial parliaments. Reprinted in English Defenders of American Freedom, 1774-1448: Six Pamphlets Attacking British Policy, comp. Paul H. Smith (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1972). Third edition. (London;…

GLC01784.02

1864

Democratic Party

Broadside

Title: The real Chicago platform, as expounded by the Democratic orators at Chicago.

Excerpts from orators at the 1864 Democratic convention at Chicago. Issued anonymously by the Copperhead faction of the Democratic Party.

GLC01704

April 20, 1865

Wirz, Henry, 1823-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George C. Gibbs

Captain Wirz, the commandant of Andersonville Prison, tells Colonel Gibbs that there are no mules fit for transport but grants him authority to impress any mules needed. Letter written at Camp Sumter, also known as Andersonville Prison.

GLC01705

1774-1775

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania journal and weekly advertiser. [No. 1674 (January 4, 1774) - no. 1725 (December 27, 1775)] [with gaps]

Revolutionary War era newspaper: Pennsylvania Journal. 5 and 19 April 1775 issues contain fugitive slave ads. Issue number 1698 is missing. March 8, 1775 contains African Slavery In America written by Thomas Paine in 1774.

GLC01706

June 5, 1864

Kirby-Smith, Edmund, 1824-1893

Letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

General Smith writes to Davis, Confederate President. Relates that General Walker (possibly William Henry Talbot Walker) was informed by General Thomas Neville Waul that Davis attributes him (Walker) with the failure to assist in the relief of Vicksburg. Writes "It is but justice to a gallant & efficient officer that this impression should be removed.- The blame, if it rests anywhere, is with myself & Genl Taylor, the Depart & District Commanders." Relates that while marching from Arkansas to Alexandria, Virginia, Walker had asked for permission to act with his Division against…

GLC01707

October 27, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Henry Toole Clark

Letter written as Confederate Secretary of War to North Carolina Governor Clark about establishing a prisoner of war camp at Salisbury, North Carolina. Benjamin writes, "I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 25th inst, which greatly relieves this Department from serious embarrassment in relation to prisoners. - I enclose you a letter for Col Wm Johnstone of Charlotte, containing my instructions to him." Requests that as soon as Colonel Johnston secures the purchase of the property, the Maxwell Chambers Factory, Clark round up volunteers to serve as guards. Informs him…

GLC01708

November 5, 1863

Tod, David, 1805-1868

Letter signed

Title: to John Sherman

Tod, Governor of Ohio, provides Senator John Sherman with two railway tickets (not included) for transportation to the November 19, 1863 dedication of the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania soldiers' cemetery. Letter written on State of Ohio Executive Department stationery.

GLC01709

1721

Care, Henry, fl. 1721

Book

Title: English liberties, or the free-born subject's inheritance [1st American edition]

12mo. Fifth edition, first American edition. First printing of the Magna Carta in America. Printed by N. Buttolph, B. Eliot and D. Henchman. Rebound.

GLC01710

1744

Pennsylvania, Treaties

Pamphlet

Title: A treaty...by...Virginia and Maryland with...the indians of the Six Nations

Stab-stitched, uncut. Printed by Benjamin Franklin. First edition. The treaty was signed in June 1744. it renews allianace between Iroquois and Great Britain at the outbreak of hte French and Indian war. Boyd 3; Curtis/Cambell 84; Evans 5416; Hildeburn 907; Miller 364; Sabin 60736.

GLC01711

1752-1776

Book

Title: Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Laws, 1682-1776.

Volumes 1-3 printed by B. Franklin and D. Hall. Volumes 4-6 printed by Henry Miller. Volumes 1-5 signed by Member of the Governor's Council and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania John Penn.

GLC01712

12 July 1764

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1855 (July 12, 1764)]

Prints a declaration of John Penn, the Governor of the province of Pennsylvania, proclaiming the Delaware and Shawanese Indians enemies of the province. Reports that Penn will offer rewards for Indian captives or scalps and delineates the amount of the reward to be paid for captured male Indians, women and children, scalps, etc. Other articles detail acts concerning paper bills of credit and the importation of hemp and flax. Reports on other news from European countries, especially London, as well as from New York and Philadelphia. Also includes posts and advertisements, some offering…

GLC01713.01

December 6, 1764

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [no. 1876 (December 6, 1764)]

Printed by Benjamin Franklin and D. Hall. Contains Governor William Penn's acceptance of a temorary peace with the Delawares and Shawnees. Penn appoints William Johnson as agent to negotiate final peace treaty. Declaration signed on 5 December 1764.

GLC01713.02

1765/05/30

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1901 (May 30, 1765)]

Contains an announcement of the passage of the Stamp Act on p. 2 and mentions the new stamp duties in other sections. Reports news from around Europe and the colonies, including an act passed in Philadelphia for the maintenance and repair of roads. Contains various advertisements.

GLC01714

1765/07/18-1765/09/19

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1908 (July 18, 1765), no. 1910 (August 1, 1765), no. 1914 (August 29, 1765) - no. 1917 (September 19, 1765)]

In addition to news from Europe and the colonies, and various advertisements and announcements, each issue touches on the controversy surrounding the Stamp Act. Issue 1908 reports on an upcoming colonial assembly which will seek relief from the Stamp Act (p. 2). Issue 1910 contains a letter opposing the Stamp Act (p. 2). Issue 1914 has a letter on the proposed Quartering Act, mentions the burning in effigy of a distributor of the stamps, and has a letter from the General Assembly in Providence seeking relief from the Stamp Act (all on p. 2). Issue 1915 contains a Massachusetts…

GLC01715

1765/09/26-1765/10/24

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1918 (September 26, 1765) - No. 1922 (October 24, 1765)]

In addition to news from Europe and the colonies, and various advertisements and announcements, each issue touches on the controversy surrounding the Stamp Act. Issue 1918 reports on the burning in effigy of a stamp distributor in Annapolis, the attachment of a copper plate reading "Tree of Liberty" to a tree in Boston as well as a conference on the Stamp Act in that town, and resolutions against the Stamp Act in Newport and Philadelphia (p. 2-3). Issue 1919 contains extracts from various meetings and letters opposing the Stamp Act (p. 2-3). Issue 1920 reports on the resolutions of the…

GLC01716

1765/10/31

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1923 (October 31, 1765)]

Reports on resistance to British quartering, a meeting of freeholders in Boston to discuss the Stamp Act, reaction to the arrival of the stamps in New York, and a declaration in Philadelphia claiming the act was unconstitutional (p. 2-3). Also contains other news from around the colonies and Europe and various advertisements. Printed with black borders, the last issue before final implementation of the Stamp Act required the newspaper to have the tax. This issue is also the last with Franklin's name in the imprint.

GLC01717

1765/11/21-1765/12/26

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 1926 (November 21, 1765) - no. 1931 (December 26, 1765)]

In addition to news from Europe and the colonies, and various advertisements and announcements, each issue touches on the controversy surrounding the Stamp Act. Issue 1926 reports on a Massachusetts resolution against the Stamp Act and the burying of a copy of the act in Portsmouth and Hartford (p. 1). Reprints an article with resolutions from Connecticut in opposition to the act (p. 2-3) and reports on activities in New York (p. 3). Issue 1927 reports on a meeting of Massachusetts freeholders in opposition to the Stamp Act and speeches in the House of Assembly in Boston (p. 1), as well as…

GLC01718

1766

Parker, James, fl. 1766-1771

Pamphlet

Title: Examination of Doctor Benjamin Franklin, before an August Assembly, relating to the Repeal of the Stamp-Act, &c.

Records Franklin's testimony before the House of Commons concerning American grievances about the Stamp Act, internal levies, the debts from the French and Indian War, costs and origins of that war, American manufactures, and American sentiments towards Britain and Parliament. Among the questions and answers are: "Q. What used to be the pride of Americans? / A. To indulge in the fashions and manufactures of Great-Britain. / Q. What now is their pride? / A. To wear their old cloaths over again, till they can make new ones." Copyright and libel laws prohibited any indication of the "august…

GLC01719

1778

Book

Title: Recueil des loix constitutives des colonies [french compilation of US documents]

French compilation of documents relating to American independence and self-rule, including state constitutions. Includes Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation. Dedicated to Franklin.

GLC01720

November 4, 1787

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Mecom

Franklin writes to his sister in Boston about his feelings on his life of public service. Tells her that she should be direct in letting him know what she needs as he is willing to help her in any way. States that he planned to decline serving another year as President (possibly of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania) but that the country demanded him. Informs that he has been in public office for 50 years now. Writes that upon being sent to France, he observed to a friend that " ... the Publick having as it were eaten my Flesh, seem'd now resolv'd to pick my Bones ..." He gently complains…

GLC01721

April 19, 1753

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Smith

Franklin thanks Smith for a copy of his A General Idea of the College of Mirania. Assures him of the quality of the education of Smith's pupils, Col. Martin's sons, at the College and Academy of Philadelphia. Mentions in particular teachers "Mr. Allison" (formerly of Edinburgh and Glasgow) and Theophilus Grew and gives him some particulars of the libraries and his financing of the Academy.

GLC01722