4 January 1939

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed document signed

Title: [State of the Union Message]

Signed at end, inscribed to Lillian Wald, and signed at top of first page. Speech to Congress warns of the impending war and mentions his worries that fascism and war might attack freedom of religion. "Storms from abroad directly challenge three institutions indispensable to Americans, now as always. The first is religion. It is the source of the other two -- democracy and international good faith." Stresses the need to prepare the nation. Marked "Confidential" and "Hold for Release" by Stephen Early, Secretary to the President.

GLC03181.01

12 January 1939

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed letter signed

Title: to Lillian Wald

Sends a copy of his Annual Message (State of the Union speech, see GLC03181.01) and also his Jackson Day speech. Addressed to Wald in Westport, Connecticut. Written on White House stationary.

GLC03181.02

1 May 1866

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of George W. Hays, who had been convicted in the District of Columbia of larceny in April 1866].

Pardoned by Andrew Johnson after he had been assured by the District Attorney who prosecuted the case that Hays was a proper object of executive clemency. Coutersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC03183

7 June 1871

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Robert Carswell and Harvey McGallierd, convicted of illicit distilling

Convicted of illicit distilling; sentenced to each pay a $10 fine and court costs. Pardoned because Governor Caldwell, Supervisor Perry, Deputy Marshall Foote and U.S. Attorney Starbuck claimed that they were innocent of any intentional violation of the law. (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC03184

14 June 1830

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Letter signed

Title: to Samuel Smith

Jackson thanks Smith for supporting his veto of the Maysville Road bill. Jackson says that while his veto may have opposed internal improvements, it was for the greater good of the Government. In a statement to Congress explaining his reasons for the veto Jackson argued that using federal money for a purely local project was wrong, no matter how desirable internal improvements were. Jackson also had a political motivation to veto the bill, since the road was set to be built in Kentucky, the home state of his chief rival Henry Clay.

GLC03188

22 July 1849

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Berdan

Relates that he recently received a letter from the Clerk to the General Land Office John Addison indicating that their commissioner Justin Butterfield considers Berdan eligible to gain an appointment to the Office. States that if Berdan indeed desires such an appointment, their friendship could either "help or hurt" him, depending on Butterfield's views of Lincoln. Offers his assistance to Berdan in obtaining an appointment to the Land Office. Free frank by Lincoln.

GLC03190

9 April 1863

Stoddard, William Osborn, 1835-1925

Autograph letter signed

Title: to S[amuel]. N[ewall] Holmes

Mentions elections in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut by saying, "How do you like N.H., R.I. & Conn? The tide is turning, as I told you it would. In for a big fight for the August election in Maryland." Stoddard was one of three private secretaries to Lincoln. On Executive Mansion stationary. With presidential envelope signed by John G. Nicolay as private secretary and imprinted "from the President of the United States." Addressed to Holmes in Syracuse, New York. Free frank signed by John G. Nicolay.

GLC03192

30 March 1795

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of David Humphreys Commissioner Plenipotentiary for Algiers treaty]

President George Washington's Commission of Humphreys to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with Tripoli. Countersigned by Sec. of State Edmund Randolph. Features paper seal, image visible on verso. Docket on verso reads "To the Most Illustrious the Bashaw, Lords and Governors, of the City and Kingdom of Tripoli."

GLC03196

3 January 1817

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Letter signed

Title: to James McCulloch

Monroe, Secretary of State, informs McCulloch, collector of customs in Baltimore, of a violation of United States laws by the Mangoree, a South American Schooner. States that the Mangoree reported herself on 28 December 1816 in the Baltimore port. Requests that McCulloch inform the Attorney of the United States of any information he can obtain related to the violation.

GLC03197

20 February 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: Authority to affix the seal to pardon of James Ackerman

A warrant for his pardon was dated and signed by Lincoln in 1864.

GLC03200

02 March 1881

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Hale re: honor to be conferred on him by Harvard graduates

GLC03206

02 February 1868

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wallace J. Ford

Thanks him for his letter. Inquires after Hiram College and tells him to ask Mr. Mott of the Cleveland Herald to send the newspaper to him in Washington. "I shall make a speech on the currency and its relation to our hard times before long -- in which I shall commit myself fully & take a position on which I am willing to stand or fall. I have been studying the subject very closely, & have gone over the whole ground." Written on Fortieth Congress Stationery. Garfield, who had been president of Hiram College, favored the principle that all paper money issued by the government had to…

GLC03207

5 August 1953

Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969

Typed letter signed

Title: to Samuel Cavert

Thanks him for his letter on behalf of the National Council of Churches of Christ about the Korean Armistice. Expresses his relief to see the end of the bloodshed in Korea and hopes for a lasting peace. Mentions that is necessary that the United States keep up the security effort to accomplish this. Addressed to Reverend Samuel McCrea Cavert, D.D., General Secretary, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Note in pencil on letter states a copy was sent to Public Relations.

GLC03208

9 May 1857

Abbott, Nehemiah, 1804-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis P. Blair

Abbott, a Maine Representative, discusses the establishment of a Republican newspaper in Washington, D.C. Recommends George Melville Weston for the editorial position to Blair, former editor of The Globe, a Washington, D.C. newspaper.

GLC03209.02

13 January 1845

Blair, Francis Preston, 1791-1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Blair Lee

Is glad to hear of his daughters good health and remarks "I have got to that age now that I begin to live in my children - and of all my children most in you." Notes that "Congress is in a wordy war about Texas" and indicates his expectation that annexation will pass in some form. There is also speculation about what shape President James Polk's cabinet will take. Blair thinks it will be entirely new. Also writes that "The Calhoun & Tylerites are busy in their conspiracies against the Globe but I think they will all fail." Addressed to Mrs. Philip Lee. With William B. Lewis free…

GLC03209.05

09 July 1829

Kendall, Amos, 1789-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis P. Blair

Reports on an upcoming duel between Sanders and Hawkins, begun when Hawkins was insulted that Sanders fired him, despite his mediocre performance. Hopes that Hawkins "gets a little hurt" in the duel, since he has acted so inappropriately. Says that Clay is "making himself ridiculous," and is weakly supported, while Jackson, "the old hero," is doing well.

GLC03209.10

21 March 1857

King, Preston, 1806-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis Preston Blair

New York Senator King informs Blair, editor of the Washington, D.C. newspaper The Globe, that he could not withdraw a book Blair requested from the Library of Congress. States that he is unable to acquire the book in the United States and asks Blair if he should order a copy from England. Informs Blair that he gave family friend Mrs. Fremont a package for Miss Betty Blair, Francis' daughter.

GLC03209.11

1835/06/13

MacAlester, Charles, 1798-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis P. Blair

Claims there are many people in Philadelphia who doubt both the compotence and honesty of Bank of the United States President Nicholas Biddle. Cites a specific example of a story about Biddle and President Andrew Jackson as proof of his falsehoods. The letter ends with the imperative "Destroy my letter as received."

GLC03209.13

28 May 1857

Morse, Freeman Harlow, 1807-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis Preston Blair

Maine Representative Morse expresses approval regarding the establishment of a Republican newspaper in Washington, D.C. to Blair. Recommends as editor George Weston (possibly Augusta, Maine lawyer and author George Melville Weston) to Blair, who formerly served as editor of the Washington, D.C. newspaper The Globe. Informs Blair that Weston was the editor of a democratic state paper (The Augusta Age) in Maine.

GLC03209.15

31 January 1845

Page, Thomas, fl. 1845

Letter signed

Title: to Francis Preston Blair

Page, (possibly Kentucky auditor Thomas S. Page), recommends James Green Hardy, Barren County Representative in the State Legislature James, for a position in the Post Office Department of Kentucky. Informs Blair, Republican Party Organizer and editor of the Washington, D.C. newspaper The Globe, that this recommendation is not "a mere complimentary letter, but one in good 'dead earnest.' "

GLC03209.16

1862-1863

Stout, Frank C., fl. 1862-1863

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Frank C. Stout, D company, 34th regiment, Pennsylvania, infantry] [Decimalized .01- .11]

Collection of Frank C. Stout (full name Benjamin Franklin Christian Stout) of the 129th Pennsylvania Volunteers, a nine month regiment. Collection includes two diaries, both of which are signed and primarily written in pencil. The first diary is approximately 140 pages and covers August-December 1862. The second diary is approximately 193 pages and covers December 1862-May 1863. Housed with the second diary is an unused postage stamp. Collection also contains miscellaneous documents, including a baptism record and medical information; a pamphlet relating an address delivered in 1897 by a…

GLC03131.07

1861-1862

Rome, William O., ?-1863

Header Record

Title: [Collection of William O. Rome] [Decimalized .01- .03]

Diary in pen, tintype, and two letters of William O. Rome, soldier in Co. K, 56th New York. The two letters (21 December 1862 and 24 December 1862) are written from Yorktown, Virginia and one contains a list of all the men in Company K and whether they are on duty, sick, discharged, or dead. The diary contains some of Rome's writing from 1861 to 1862.

GLC03131.09

1864-1865

Pratz, William, fl. 1864-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of William W. Pratz]

Autograph manuscript signed. Diary in pencil. Writes about camp life and the weather. Notes the number of letters he writes and receives in a day. Approximately 112 pages.

GLC03131.11

1862-1865

Richie, Joseph, 1862-1865

Diary

Title: [History of 157th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers]

Autograph manuscript. Noted as a copy and signed "Thomas E. Carter" on page one. Not really a diary, although first three pages contain information that Richie received the book on 5 September 1864, the day Private Joseph Richie Co. C, 157th Pennsylvania Volunteers was appointed "Acting Quartermaster Sergeant of this Battalion" and next two pages may have real diary entries. The substance of the book is a seventeen page "History of the 157th Penna Vols." The history begins on 5 October 1862 and continues to 3 July 1865. Describes the methods of recruitment used, movements of the…

GLC03131.13

1847-1912

Wells, Hiram C., fl. 1825-1900

Manuscript

Title: [Collection of Hiram C. Wells]

The collection includes his 1863 diary, military papers and personal and legal papers (mostly pre and post-war). Gives good view of life in cavalry with skirmishes, scouts, etc. Regiment took part in siege of Knoxville. Wells was later captured, imprisoned at Andersonville, and on the Sultana when it exploded, subjects covered in manuscript written in 1880s (includes typed transcript). The diary is approximately 106 pages and spans over the year 1863.

GLC03131.15