8 June 1788

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Oliver Pollock

States that upon receiving Pollock's previous letter, he was engaged in a business meeting with the director of the Potomac Company at Shenandoah Falls, Virginia. Declines Pollock's request for recommendation to Esteban Rodriguez Miro y Sabater, the Governor of Louisiana. Declares that such a recommendation would be improper, stating "I have never had the Lever of a personal acquaintance ... with the Governor- I do not feel myself authorized to take a greater latitude of freedom in this respect than any other unknown private citizen."

GLC05454

10 September 1865

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of John G. English for rebellion].

Signed by Andrew Johnson as President. Countersigned by William H. Seward as Secretary of State. English's plantation was in Aberdeen, Mississippi. White seal on second page. Document was originally folded into sixths.

GLC05460

4 November 1827

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Creighton, Jr.

Provides a copy of a statement "which took place in the Senate," discussing allegations of a deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to win Adams the presidency in 1824, in which an investigation into the matter was refused. Asks that it be published.

GLC05462

1841/07/27

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to H. H. Carroll re: fight in Senate regarding "White Charleys" and "Saddle Men"

GLC05464

3 May 1887

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Sherman

Writes to his brother regarding his travel plans for the next week or so. States he will go to Washington to attend the meeting of the Army of the Cumberland and the unveiling of the Garfield statue, then he must go to Philadelphia. Informs that he will be at John's house on Wednesday 11 May. Discusses other personal and family matters. Discusses his Wolseley letter arguing that Ulysses S. Grant was a superior strategist over Robert E. Lee. "My Wolseley letter seems to be received generally with favor, but the South and England may not relish it. " The Wolseley letter involved a dispute…

GLC05465

June 1781

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Reports on his activities and strategy fighting Cornwallis in Virginia. Notes that he has avoided general actions and adds laconically that "His Lordship [Cornwallis] seems to have given up the Conquest of Virginia." Explains that the American forces were smaller, a fact they had to keep secret. Discusses military movements. Docketed and dated by someone named Jared Sparks.

GLC05467

21 March 1910

Mosby, John S., 1833-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sam Chapman

Refers to Gettysburg. Contrasts differing reports of Henry Heth and Ambrose Powell Hill about going to Gettysburg after some shoes.

GLC05470

16 June 1889

Lillie, Gordon William, 1860-1942

Autograph letter signed

Title: to C. C. Morgan

Written on stationery of Pawnee Bill's Oklahoma Colonization Company. Informs Morgan of his plans to establish a settlement (possibly the colony which was later known as "Pawnee Bill's Old Town and Trading Post" in Oklahoma). Advises Morgan that a dry goods or cigar business will prove the most lucrative in the established town.

GLC05476

28 October 1841

Seneca chieftains

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Petition to New York Governor William H. Seward signed by 58 chieftains of the Seneca Tribe]

Requests that the $500 annuity paid by the state, be paid only to the trusted chiefs listed. The annuity had been misused by chiefs favorable to the Ogden Land Company, and the money embezzled by the man to whom it had been paid. Endorsed by Seward with his initials. Written at Cattaraugus Reservation.

GLC05487

1887

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Pamphlet signed

Title: Report of the Admiral of the Navy

Printed by the Government Printing Office. Disbound but retaining original blue covers. Signed on covers to Hon. E.S. Tobey.

GLC05488

8 March 1878

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of eight men].

Conditional pardon for John P. Muncie, Lewis Spencer, John M. Hibbard, William Griffin, William W. Workman, Henry Holzhauser, Samuel Walters, Eugene Slinker, John Frazier and James M. Norris.

GLC05489

31 May 1850

Clarke, Matthew St. Clair, 1791-1852

Printed letter signed

Title: [American Colonization Society circular proposing steamship line between the United States and Africa]

Addressed to "His Excellency the Gov of NJ" (Daniel Haines). Signed by [Matthew St. Clair Clarke]. Copy of the memorial of Joseph Bryan, of Alabama, to Congress, proposing to establish a line of steam ships between the U.S. and Africa. Cites the need for maintaining a naval force on the western coast of Africa, the need for extinguishing the slave trade, to extend trade between the United States and Africa, and to convey that emancipated people can emigrate to Africa, if they wish.

GLC05492

14 March 1830

Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Chase

Writes to his brother, a lawyer in Lockport, New York, about his journey from Washington, D.C. to Cincinnati, Ohio. Laments his undesirable traveling companions among whom was a woman convict. "A woman too - who had been committed for Infanticide and discharged because she was the only female in prison. You may imagine I was not highly delighted with my company..." Describes the events of the rest of his trip and the scenery along the way. Exhorts his brother to act in "...the great cause of truth and virtue. I look to see you standing beside the ark of national purity ... I hope to…

GLC05494.01

1850/04/27

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Hazard re: suppression of the slave trade & colonization efforts

Accompanied by FF envelope. Clay writes that that the subjects Hazard wrote about will receive little attention until the slave trade question is settled. Clay argues that the best way to stop the slave trade is by creating strong colonies on the African coast: "I believe that they [the colonies] may be instrumental not only to abolish the slave trade, but ultimately, after the lapse of a great length of time, to separate the two races of the United States."

GLC05495.01

1865-1869

English, John G., fl. 1827-1869

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Post-war plantation diary and journal of Mississippi cotton planter]

English mentions Confederate generals visiting, Civil War battles, slavery, and Reconstruction, among other topics. Provides a list of all slave families on this Mississippi Cotton plantation. Contains a detailed account of crops planted, weather, and other topics related to plantation life. (Refer to related items GLC05496, an antebellum journal, and GLC05460, English's presidential pardon). There is a space in the front of this manuscript as the result of pages which were cut out. Rebound, but accompanied by original cover.

GLC05497

circa 1 December 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document

Title: Annual message of the President [incomplete]

Gideon Welles's copy of proof sheets of Lincoln's message to Congress, lacking the final page and accompanied by the Government Printing Office pamphlet printing of the message (see GLC05505.02). WIth correction in pencil on page one. Tied at top with green ribbon.

GLC05505.01

May 28, 1953

Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rose Russell [in German]

Signed with initials. Speaks about the spirit of the Constitution and the Fifth Amendment during the McCarthy hearings and argues that "it is a misuse of congressional immunity to carry out practices which rightly belong to the competence of the judicial and police authorities." Possibly a draft. Transcript and translation available.

GLC05322

18 December 1790

Waln, Nicholas, fl. 1790

Broadside

Title: [Explaining why Quakers refuse to pay a fee for their pacifism]

Quakers explaining why they refuse to pay a fee to the government for their pacifism.

GLC05326

1834/08/31

Elguezabel, Juan J., fl. 1834

Broadside

Title: Proclamation threatening revolutionaries and supporting Santa Anna [In Spanish]

Issued as Governor of Coahuila and Texas with a veiled threat to Revolutionaries and his support for Santa Anna and Mexico.

GLC05328

October 1779

Wolcott, Oliver, 1726-1797

Autograph note signed

Title: to Andrew Adams

Signed with initials. Date from docket. Wolcott attests to a statement he made in a letter to Jacob Bogardus: "The aspersion mentioned in Mr. Bogardus letter was that I wrote to him that the conduct of [Mr. Shneill] in selling his negro I considered a wanton act of Barbarity. OW." Written on a blank leaf, with address leaf on verso, to Andrew Adams, docketed "Genl. Wolcott's letter inclosing a letter from Jacob Bogardus & Dep. Oct. 1779."

GLC05330

12 February 1862

Van Brunt, G.J., 1801-?

Letter signed

Title: [Report on condition of the CSS "Merrimac"]

Reports that a William West, a rigger "who made his escape from Norfolk," said the "Merrimac" was still in dock on 10 February. Claims the ship draws 17 feet of water, has 10 gun (8 of which are 9 inch smooth bore broadside gun and 2 heavy rifled guns). Carries 200 men and 12 lieutenants. Expects the ship to draw 21 feet with everything on board. Says the "Pilot house is in shape like a sugar loaf, and of cast-iron 5 inches thick and about 4 feet in diameter. She will be ready to come out of dock next Monday. Her engines are also working well. Captain Van Brunt commanded the USS "Minnesota…

GLC05331.01

20 February 1862

Van Brunt, G.J., 1801-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. A. Harwood

Marked "Private." Sends a report on the CSS "Merrimac" to Captain Harwood, the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, based on his examination of William West, a rigger who had been aboard the vessel and later "made his escape from Norfolk." Van Brunt says that "there have been so many reports about the 'Merrimac' & her movements, which have been false - I send you this under the belief that it is correct. We may expect her [the Merrimac] down at any moment & if she comes it will be my endeavour to prevent her return - I can get this ship [the Minnesota] under weigh night or day in 10…

GLC05331.02

17 October 1782

Wheeler, Paul, fl. 1782

Document signed

Title: [Record of money due to an African American for service in the Connecticut militia]

States that eight pounds, nine shillings, and three pence is the balance due to Cato Cuff from the State Treasurer for his military service. Signed by Wheeler on behalf of Cuff. Partially printed.

GLC05333

1838 ca.

Broadside

Title: Constitution of the [blank] Colonization Society [form for local Ohio chapters]

Blank form for local auxiliaries of the Ohio State Colonization Society: "Article I. This Society shall be called [blank] Colonization Society, and shall be auxiliary to the Ohio State Colonization Society. Article II. The object to which its views shall be exclusively directed, is the Colonization, on the Coast of Africa, with their own consent, of the free people of color of the United States...."

GLC05334

circa 1863-1864

Manuscript letter

Title: to officers and soldiers of the Virginia colored guards

An unknown female author presents a flag to African American troops stationed in the vicinity. States "it has often been remarked how much better this company has behaved than others previously encamped on this ground_ the ladies have spoken highly of the courteous manner of the soldiers ..." Urges the men to protect the flag during battle at all costs, stating "but soldier! never let its shadow be tarnished by a mean or cruel deed ... Ladies cannot fight, we have not courage to face the cannon's mouth ... but we respect a brave and honorable soldier." Instructs the soldiers to protect the…

GLC05335