Search | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Our Collection

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.

Start New Search

87506 search results

Filter:

Only return results with full-sized images

Sort by

Advanced search

Keyword

Author

Subjects

Place written

Year

Sub-era

1865/07/07

Waggoner, J.F., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: Texas amnesty oath signed by Confederate soldier

GLC07716

1861/11-1862/06

United States. Navy

Document

Title: 18 Civil War dispatches, extracts, and general orders issued by U.S. Navy

Topics include payment of persons called "contrabands", British ships attempting to run the blockade, Naval intelligence, sanitation during the "hot and sickly" season in the south, and legal requirements with regard to captured vessels. Probably printed aboard U.S.S. Minnesota.

GLC07717

1945/04/16

Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972

Typed document signed

Title: First address to Congress re: death of Roosevelt and his legacy in Europe

"The Laws of God and Man have been violated and the guilty must not go unpunished." Typed document reproduced by an offset process. Signed on page 4.

GLC07529

1799/09/22

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Washington re: death of brother Charles, Samuel's father

"By this event, you have become the guardian of your mother; and... the father, of your father's family; and by care, industry & sobriety will endeavor I hope to merit the appellation of one."

GLC07530

1799/11/16

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Parker re: Washington's land in the Northwest Territory

Written one month before his death.

GLC07531

1808/04/19

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Presidential proclamation requiring potential insurgents against the Embargo Act at Lake Champlain to disperse peaceably]

Countersigned by James Madison. With white paper seal. In an effort to enforce the Embargo Act in New England, Jefferson warns all who do not disperse that officers will be ordered to "subdue such insurrections or combinations, to seize upon all those therein concerned...and to deliver them over to the civil authority of the place to be proceeded against according to law." Resistance to embargo on the Canadian border at Lake Champlain was so strong that the national government had to equip vessels and send troops there to maintain authority.

GLC07541

1796/10/03

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Carey re: Morris and the collection of his property

"Sorry I am to be so troublesome but you are sensible I must look after and collect my scattered property so as to bring it into action."

GLC07549

1769/03/17

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: Partly printed land indenture for 100 acres for Washington and James Wood

For "100 acres of land in the county of Fauquier." Signed in text 21 times by Washington.

GLC07550

1870 ca.

Jarvis, J.F., fl. 1892

Photograph

Title: [Carte de visite of the inner room of the Senate]

Imprint on verso.

GLC07555

1801/12/10

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph manuscript

Title: to Mr. Cheetham re: negotiations over 12th amendment

"No serious evil can result from the designs of the little faction which has existed for a short time previous to the presidential election [of 1800], & which is governed by no principle but is solely devoted to the aggrandisement of an individual." (Aaron Burr)

GLC07557

1785/10/26

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Jay re: Jean-Antoine Hudon and bust of George Washington

"To take the bust of General Washington, in order to make his statue for that state [i.e., Virginia]... he is of the first reputation in his profession, and has a great share of the ambition I admire in an artist."

GLC07558

1804/03/30

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gilbert M. de Lafayette re: transition in Louisiana Purchase territory

"I had rather have your single person there than an army of ten thousand men for the purpose of securing the tranquility & preservation of the country."

GLC07560.01

1879/05/19

Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: The Exodus [oppression of blacks in the South and their leaving for the North]

Apparently a sentiment or quotation written on blue lined paper, removed from a notebook or autograph album. This may be unrhymed verse. "If they were generally and systematically whipt starved and shot to death and if there were no rational ground of hope for speedy relief, it would be the duty as well as the instinct of these people to rise up, not in squads of tens or companies of hundreds, and move off to the north..." Signed "Very truly yours" at the end.

GLC07563

1912/12/08

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Constance Von Stumm re: condolence letter to daughter of deceased friend

Mentions "movement for honesty and fair dealing in American life".

GLC07528

February 7, 1817

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Latham Mitchill

Adams in retirement to Mitchill, a well-known scientist from New York City. Their correspondence deals with archeological findings. From the docket they are discussing "Babylonian bricks." Asks when a monument to Daniel, the Biblical prophet, was erected and by whom. Also is curious about the ancient language inscribed on it; mentions Hebrew, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, and Chaldean. Says if he was 50 years younger he would accompany him to figure out the problem. Adams spelled the name "Mitchell" at the bottom of the page.

GLC07532

1788/07/02

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stephen Van Rensselaer

Indicates that he has heard news of Virginia's ratification of the Constitution and offers his congratulations. He had been worried about the consequences for the country had Virginia not ratified. Believes the adoption in Virginia will have a positive effect on the New York State ratifying convention and compel other states to do the same. Notes that Colonel Alexander Hamilton is well. Contains some corrections in pencil.

GLC07537

1791/08/02

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Philip Mazzei] re: Monticello and family; debts

A lengthy discussion of debts, currency, interest bearing certificates and the assumption of state debts by the Federal Government. Mentions Mr. Blair, Edmund Randloph, Mr. Foster, George Nicholls. Jefferson offers to forgive the debt of Mr. Berrons in exchange for books equal to the amount of the debt. Closes the letter with mention of family and announces that he is a grandfather.

GLC07540

1865/05 ca.

Holt, Joseph, 1807-1894

Document signed

Title: Copy of charge and specification against...

Title continues: "Charge and specification against David E. Herold, George A. Azerodt, Lewis Payne, Michael D. Laughlin, Edward Spangler, Samuel Arnold, Mary E. Surratt, and Samuel A. Mudd". Holt signs as Judge Advocate General. Some manuscript insertions are included throughout the document.

GLC07544

1814/08/27

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Blount

"The enemy expect to overrun... Louisiana before a force can be collected to stop them...every exertion must be made to have by draft & voluntary servic[e] the whole in the field or rest assured all is lost and never will be regained but with oceans of blood."

GLC07547

1797/01/02

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: re: appropriation of Morris' property after the Revolutionary War

"I cannot be worse of[f] ... if my furniture is sold I shall think harder of it than of all the rest... his opinion of Prane Street [debtors prison] accomodations ... thus you see our property and honours vanish together."

GLC07548