29 May 1812

Nicholson, Joseph H., 1770-1817

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Langdon

Urges Langdon to accept the nomination for vice president, stating that his "services are necessary to the public weal. The Union must be consolidated by combining the strength of the Southern and Eastern States in the two highest offices of the Government." Praises Langdon and mentions the failed attempt to nominate Elbridge Gerry. Langdon declined the nomination.

GLC05899.04

1892

National Continental Union League

Typed document signed

Title: [Petition of National Continental Union League for union with Canada]

Petition calling for lawful, peaceful and honorable union between the United States and Canada. Says "The time has come when it is desirable that Europe should cease to direct or control the political or domestic affairs or any portion of this continent." Petition was the first act of organization of the National Continental Union League, founded in 1892 in New York and Toronto. The group devoted itself to raising funds to promote a constitutional union through the publication of pamphlets and aid to Canadian organizations and politicians in favor of union. The petition is signed in…

GLC05900

1 May 1789

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathaniel Freeman

An amusing and friendly letter to his former Harvard classmate. Discusses their correspondence. Also discusses the visit to town of two young women (Miss Charlotte Geyer and Miss Breck) who Adams wishes to meet "under the shade of an amorous myrtle." Mentions a magazine and publishing by Geyer and other women. Also comments on his legal education and his study habits: "I have no reason to boast of my industry...mere professional books should claim but a small part of a student's application." Asks for a subscription to the Herald of Freedom.

GLC05902

1 January 1809

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Gray

Clay, a United States Senator from Kentucky, discusses the terms of hire for Newman, an ensalved man. Notes the terms of payment: Gray will hire Newman for one year for the price of $100. 1 black and white bust engraving of Henry Clay included.

GLC05904

18 April 1906

Moffit, Frank J., fl. 1906

Broadside

Title: Oakland enquirer. Extra 4:30. [8th edition (April 18, 1906)]

This document is a newspaper from the Oakland Enquirer that includes news regarding the San Francisco earthquake. Started in 1885 by Moffit, The Oakland enquirer continued the Independent Enquirer and was later continued in 1921 by the Oakland Daily Post and the Oakland Post Enquirer. Topic coverage for this newspaper includes earthquake damage reports and local news besides that.

GLC05905.01

26 April 1906

Lincke, M.W., 1895-1941

Newspaper

Title: The Graphic. [Vol. 12, no. 17 (April 26, 1906)]

This newspaper covers local news from Nashville, North Carolina including an article on the San Francisco earthquake. "Stall Lorain" inscribed on front page. Includes several articles on tobacco farming, the need for farm hands, bias against citylife, and other advertisments from local businesses.

GLC05905.02

12 September 1819

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Major Dana

Former President Madison answers an inquiry regarding employment prospects in Virginia: "The motives you assign for your letter, among which is a sense of duty to your parents, are entitled to respect. But I cannot encourage you to seek a fulfilment of them in this quarter. The modes of husbandry here are very different from those to which you are accustomed; and the labour is generally preformed by negroes whom a stranger would not advantageously superintend. I can only wish you therefore a better prospect of success elsewhere." Madison possibly writes from Montpelier, his Virginia…

GLC05910

1840-1892

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Header Record

Title: [Journals and log books of Edward Simpson Sr. and Edward Simpson, Jr.] [word processed inventory available] [Decimalized .01- .23]

Edward Simpson, Sr. was a member of the first class of "middies" to graduate from Annapolis after only nine months of study.  Over the following twenty years, Simpson followed a career that involved him in the Mexican War, had him working on the coastal survey, took him briefly to Canton and, finally back to the Naval Academy as an instructor in gunnery, until he was called to serve on both ironclads and frigates during the Civil War. He continued to serve at sea in the Gulf and Northern Pacific Squadrons until 1877. Simpson, author of the Treatise on Ordnance and Naval Gunnery (1859) and…

GLC05911

1838

Object

Title: [Metal slave tag for porter number 743]

GLC05915

1840

Object

Title: [Metal slave tag for a servant number 94]

GLC05916

May 13, 1881

Black, J.W., 1825-1896

Photograph signed

Title: [Isaac Fitzgerald Shepard]

Carte de visite of the organizer of 1st U.S. Colored Infantry, vignette bust. Shepard later served as U.S. Counsel at Hankow, China.

GLC05918.03

February 12, 1864

McClees, J.E., fl. 1855-1865

Photograph signed

Title: [Julius Stahel]

Awarded the Medal of Honor in 1893 for distinction while commanding a cavalry division at the Battle of Piedmont (June 5, 1864).

GLC05918.04

June 1864

Bartelle, Charles V., fl. 1864

Map signed

Title: Sketch showing defences and channels of Charleston Harbor.

This document is a map of Charleston Harbor depicting the major waterways and various forts in the area, among these is Fort Sumter. On the map it states that the map has been, "Copied by direction of Rear Admiral J. A. Dahlgren." The water on the map has been hand-colored in light blue ink. Signed "[Charles V. Bartelle], Asst. U.S. Comm. Survey." A note, "from the best information," is handwritten underneath the title (apparently not in Bartelle's hand).

GLC05919

14 August 1897

Duke, Basil Wilson, 1838-1916

Typed letter signed

Title: to George A. Dary

Duke, a former Confederate lieutenant colonel and historian, acknowledges receipt of a letter from Dary, a Boston lawyer. Confirms that Dary's letter (not included) was accompanied by a copy of President Abraham Lincoln's correspondence with Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, discussing Duke's parole.

GLC05922.02

29 November 1859 - 2 December 1859

Header Record

Title: John Brown letter and broadside [decimalized .01-.02]

Letter written by John Brown shortly before his death, and broadside for a funeral service to him.

GLC05925

29 November 1859

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Stearns

Written three days before his execution. He asks to be "spared from having any mock; or hypocritical prayers made over me, when I am publicly murdered: & that my only religious attendants be poor little, dirty, ragged, bare headed, & barefooted Slave Boys; & Girls led by some old gray headed Slave Mother...Farewell, Farewell." Docket reads "please mail this to her." Addressed to "Mrs. George L. Stearns." Mary's husband George was a member of The Secret Six, the group that financed Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry.

GLC05925.01

2 December 1859

Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Broadside

Title: Martyrdom of John Brown

Program created by Thoreau for the funeral service for John Brown to be held in the Concord Town Hall on December 2nd. Event will include "Reading of pertinent passages. Selections from Brown's last words. Service for the death of a martyr." Also contains a "Dirge" in Brown's honor, written by Sanborn to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" The first verse states "To-day beside Potomac's wave, Beneath Virginia's Sky, They slay the man who loved the slave, and dared for him to die." Concord was the home to many of Brown's most famous and ardent supporters. The dirge is misdated 30 December at…

GLC05925.02

1872

Book

Title: Proceedings in the Klu Klux Klan trials at Columbia, S.C. in the United States circuit court, November term, 1871.

Published by the Republican Printing Company, State Printers. Contains detailed court proceedings regarding cases of Klan members versus the United States. Index, beginning on page 1 following page 835, organizes the book by case, noting the names of participating defense and prosecution. No creator is listed, though the title page indicates that this book was printed from government copy. The initials B.P. and L.F.P. follow a brief introduction. First edition.

GLC05929

circa 1925

Ku Klux Klan

Pamphlet

Title: The Klan in action leadership responsibilites organization methods: a manual of leadership for officers of local klans.

Published by American Printing & Manufacturing Company. Contains detailed instructions on leadership, Klan policies, and local Klan organization for officers. Begins by stating "The one human quality which, more than any other, makes a man stand out above his fellows, which can make him most useful to himself, his brother men, his country and his God, is the power of leadership." First edition.

GLC05930

1800

Cheetham, James, fl. 1800

Pamphlet

Title: A Dissertation concerning political equality, and the corporation of New York

Pencil inscription "S. H. [?] Parsons" on cover. Discusses New York City politics and the Declaration of Independence. Printed by D. Denison. First edition.

GLC05931

1776

Lind, John, fl. 1776-1778

Book

Title: An Answer to the declaration of the American Congress

Disbound. Printed by T. Cadell, J. Walter & T. Sewell. 1st edition. Response to the Declaration of Independence.

GLC05933

1843

Allen, George, 1792-1883

Pamphlet

Title: The Complaint of Mexico, and conspiracy against liberty [Texas]

Anti-Texas annexation tract. Printed by J. W. Alden.

GLC05935

circa 1864

Pamphlet

Title: Copperhead Conspiracy in the North-West

Title continued: "An Exposé of the Treasonable Order of the 'Sons of Liberty.' Vallandingham, Supreme Commander." Published by the Union Congressional Committee. Printed by John A. Gray & Green in New York. Pages are uncut at the top of the pamphlet. Details the investigation into the Northern anti-war Democrats, known as the Copperheads, who formed "secret, oath-bound, treasonable associations throughout the Northern States to act in concert with those already existing in the States in rebellion." Says the group was known as the Knights of the Golden Circle in Indiana in 1863. Relates…

GLC05936

circa 1837

Southard, Nathaniel, fl. 1837

Pamphlet

Title: The American Anti-Slavery Almanac, for 1838, being the second after Bissextile or Leap-Year, and the 62nd of American Independence. Adapted to most parts of the United States.

Labeled Vol. 1 no. 3. Southard serves as editor. Published by D. K. Hitchcock. With front paper engraving depicting William [Lloyd] Garrison attempting to chop down a tree labeled "Slavery" while a minister, soldier, businessman and President Van Buren attempt to support the tree. Contains many illustrations showing the injustices of slavery. Closes with Garrison's address opposing the annexation of Texas to the Union as a "slaveholding country." Edges are extremely delicate.

GLC05939

1803

Murray, John Jr., fl. 1803

Pamphlet

Title: [To the Citizens of the United States of America].

Agreed upon at a meeting of Quakers on March 1, 1803 in New York City and issued by the clerk to the meeting, John Murray, Jr. The pamphlet attacks alcohol consumption, taverns, theatres, horse racing, cockfighting, and duels. Printed by Isaac Collins and Son.

GLC05943