January 1864

Sickles, Daniel Edgar, 1819-1914

Autograph letter signed

Title: to David Birney

Discusses a congressional investigation into General George G. Meade for disciplining officers who testified before the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War after Meade let Lee escape after Gettysburg. Tells Major General Birney to give his true opinion to Congress and that he will urge his contacts in the Congress and the Secretary of War to back off. Also mentions having dinner with President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, where he also met Henry Halleck and Meade. Meade was later exonerated and received a vote of thanks from Congress.

GLC01599

March 18, 1806

Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849

Letter signed

Title: to William Few

Informs that he has directed the Treasurer to remit to Few $240,000 to be used for discharging the interest on stocks. Addressed to Few as the Commissioner of Loans at New York City.

GLC01602.01

December 12, 1808

Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849

Letter signed

Title: to John Pooler

Gallatin informs Pooler that he has directed the Treasurer to remit to Pooler $1000 to pay the dividends on stocks. Letter addressed to Pooler as the Commissioner of Loans for Georgia.

GLC01602.02

March 2, 1877

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wallace

Appears to allude to the count of electoral votes for president. Declares, "I have just got out of bed (10 1/2 hrs) having got home from the final count at 4 1/2 this morning. Tired to the bone." Letter written on House of Representatives stationery.

GLC01603

January 30, 1879

Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Hayes agrees with his recipient that public business "ought to be conducted on business principles." He seclares, "A public officer can in no way serve the party of his choice more effectively than by thoughtful and efficient performance of his office duties." Letter written on Executive Mansion stationery.

GLC01607

17 March 1815

Van Dyke, Richard, fl. 1815

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Land sale agreement between William and Charles Gardiner and Richard Van Dyke]

Also signed by William Gardiner and Charles Gardiner. Mentions eight Iroquois for whom Van Dyke was making the transaction. The Indians names were Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Atayataghroughta, Captain James Wakarontharane, Captain Honyere Tewahongarakon, Captain John Otaawigton, Lieutenant Cornelius Kahiktoton, Lieutenant John Sagoharase, Lieutenant Hanyost Thaosagwat, and Lieutenant Nicholas Kaghantshonan. The agreement records a transaction to transfer lands to the Gardiners from the Iroquois Indians. Outlines the process by which Van Dyke will obtain the patents for the land in…

GLC01608

January 25, 1819

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rachel Jackson

Andrew Jackson writes to his wife that he has arrived in Washington, a day after Henry Clay made an inflammatory speech against him. However, he is confident, because he believes that "a very large majority" of Congress sides with him. He has also learned that Jefferson and Madison have written to Monroe in his favor, and that all three Presidents appear to support him. Congress was investigating Jackson for his conduct during the First Seminole War is 1818, when he pursued a group of Seminole Indians into Spanish Florida, upsetting a number of powerful foreign nations.

GLC01609

1867/10/18

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: Authority to affix the seal to the pardon of Perry Murphy

GLC01611

19 June 1867

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John W. Paxton, convicted of larceny.

Convicted of larceny; sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment. Pardoned after serving prison term for his good conduct and penitence. (c/s William H. Seward)

GLC01612

5 June 1794

Randolph, Edmund, 1753-1813

Document signed

Title: An Act laying duties upon carriages for the conveyance of persons

Signed in his hand by Randolph as Secretary of State. Signed with printed signatures of Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ralph Izard, President of the Senate, and approved by George Washington as President. Printed act establishes a yearly tax on all carriages used for the conveyance of persons. Decided at a session of the Third Congress in Philadelphia 2 December 1793 and approved on 5 June 1794.

GLC01618

April 20, 1908

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Typed letter signed

Title: to Victor Howard Metcalf

Roosevelt writes as President to Secretary of Navy Metcalf regarding a meeting designed to take stock of America's natural resources. Also invited were the justices of the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, and his cabinet. Includes a stamp of receipt from the Navy Department dated April 23. Letter written on White House letterhead.

GLC01619

14 May 1813

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Broadside

Title: Cartel for the exchange of prisoners of war, between Great Britain and the United States of America

Broadside reprinting terms of prisoner exchange agreed to by the American and British governments. Includes notations on the right and left margins of the document. Signed by Secretary of State James Monroe and Tho. Barclay.

GLC01621

6 March 1920

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Sentence commutation for Charles Manfri, convicted of selling heroin in New Jersey 19 December 1918, and sentenced to four years imprisonment]

Charles Manfri, alias Charles Mansfield, was convicted of violating the Harrison Anti-Narcotic Act in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey and sentenced to four years in the State penitentiary in Baltimore, Maryland. Wilson commuted his sentence to end April 3, 1920 and signed in purple pencil, no reason given for clemency. Countersigned by A. Mitchell Palmer. Printed document with blanks filled with type.

GLC01622

December 20, 1856

Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry E. Rees

Senator Sumner replies to a letter from Rees. Claims that unless slavery is checked, "the liberty of white as well as black in our country will become a name only."

GLC01574.02

1807

Taney, Roger Brooke, 1777-1864

Autograph document signed

Title: [John Bayly vs. Otto H. W. Luckett]

Retained legal brief concerning a case in the amount of $108.31. Taney signed as an attorney. On verso is a note also signed by Taney requesting that Mr. Ritchie (possibly his secretary or clerk) file this brief and send a copy to the courthouse.

GLC01574.05

July 5, 1699

Penn, William, 1644-1718

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pike

Penn writes about preparations for his last trip to America. Accompanied by a separate leaf signed "M. Jacob" stating that the letter is "to my great great great grandfather Joseph Pike." A merchant in Cork, Ireland, Pike was an old Quaker friend.

GLC01577

September 21, 1798

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Serving as Secretary of State, Pickering informs an unknown recipient of a letter received from Colonel David Humphreys regarding a claim presented to the Spanish Government. Expects that "if we avoid a war with Spain, the claim will finally be paid." Letter discusses a Concerning payment of a claim to the Spanish Government.

GLC01579.02

October 27, 1776

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Letter signed

Title: to Elias Dayton

Letter written by Major General Schuyler as commander of the Northern Department, to Colonel Elias Dayton of the 3rd New Jersey Regiment. Sent by Schuyler when Dayton's regiment was marching north from Schenectady. Dayton's troops were being sent to the Mohawk Valley to defend the residents from Tory and Indian assaults during the vicious partisan fighting in upstate New York. Says that based on intelligence from General Nicholas Herkimer, his regiment will probably have to march back to the German Flatts, an area near the mouth of the West Canada Creek in New York, unless militia can be sent…

GLC01580

February 7, 1819

Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Regarding his public quarrel with General Andrew Jackson. Feels that Jackson is trying to make him look bad in any way possible, but is not too concerned. Addressed to "Major," from whom he had received correspondence. Surname of recipient may be "Mercer," as Scott mentions that he looks forward to seeing the recipient and Mrs. Mercer.

GLC01581

March 16, 1863

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stephen Augustus Hurlbut

Sherman writes about his surprise that General Hurlbut's nomination is being opposed in the Senate. He castigates the press, "I have been foolish to excite the animosity of the Newspaper fraternity ... but this class of men are so supercilious that whenever I come in contact with them I feel a natural repugnance which they are smart enough to see." Informs that he has been summoned to Young Point to meet General Ulysses S. Grant's boat. States he will leave tomorrow but cannot mention the exact route. Informs that the original plan to take Vicksburg, which he still feels is best, was to "form…

GLC01582

circa spring 1851

Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dr. Stone

Stowe writes from "Woodside Cottage." Says she just received his letter and hopes to see him in Boston next week. Asks him "to make no public mention if you have not, of the Uncle Tom project till I have seen you. Don't mention it at any rate till then." Stowe began writing "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in early 1851. The recipient may be Rev. Thomas Treadwell Stone (1801-1895), a Unitarian minister, writer, Transcendentalist, and abolitionist from Massachusetts. Letter written in spring of 1851.

GLC01584.01

March 20, 1852

Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

On its first day of publication in 1852, Stowe sends a copy [not present] of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. Slavery had been abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833, and Stowe holds Britain up as a model for Americans. Letter written mostly in the third person. Stowe had consulted Horace Mann several days before writing this letter, asking for his advice as to how best to contact Prince Albert and other noteworthy British individuals. Evidently, Mann's advice had proved useful: Despite the "republican simplicity" of this letter to the Royal Consort,…

GLC01585

December 29, 1855

Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. S.C. Hall

Mentions the suffering of many families in England (likely a reference to the Crimean War) and hopes that it has not affected Mrs. Hall and her family. Stowe writes that she will probably be in England some time in the coming year, as there are many people she wants to visit. Reading over old letters has her reminiscing about a previous trip to England. Discusses a Miss Greenfield, a black singer. Envelope is adhered to first page of the letter. Mrs. S.C. Hall was a popular Irish-born novelist. Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield (ca. 1824-1876), known as "The Black Swan," was a singer noted for her…

GLC01586

October 29, 1852

Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom, 1819-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to the Duchess of Sutherland

Written as Queen, signed as "V R" for Victoria Regina. Mentions that Lord Carlisle has written the preface to "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe, "a book which is being increasingly read but I have not yet had time to read; did your brother know the Authoress in America?" Stowe has presented a copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to Prince Albert on publication day in March 1852 (see GLC01585). In the remainder of this letter, the Queen chides the Duchess for not writing, gives news of acquaintances and family (including her "Uncle Leopold," presumably King Leopold I of Belgium) and…

GLC01587

circa July 6, 1640

Williams, Roger, fl. 1640-1667

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Winthrop

Discusses the current behavior of the Native Americans in his area. Mentions struggles between the sachem Uncas, allied with the European settlers, and his enemy, Miantinomo. Postscript possibly refers to the efforts of King Charles I to restore High Church liturgy in Scotland. Letter written to Royal Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Winthrop during (or shortly after) his second term. Date of composition may be June 7, 1640 instead of July 6, 1640. Williams was founder of Rhode Island.

GLC01590