5 August 1862

Hay, John, 1838-1905

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. Ames

Tongue-in-cheek letter written as President Abraham Lincoln's private secretary on Executive Mansion stationery sending a photograph. Comments humorously about his reputation as a tough person stating, "It [the photograph] represents the distinguished subject in his milder moods, when news boys fear not to approach him, and school children ask him the time of day." Signed "Yours very slavishly." Accompanied by two photographs (see GLC1822.02, .03).

GLC01822.01

1 August 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter

Title: to William Phillips

Written by Heath as commander of the Convention Army, which consisted of British prisoners of war from the Saratoga campaign, to British General Phillips as the highest ranking officer with the Convention Army. References Phillips's letter from 29 July 1778. Hopes no accident has befallen Captain Willow. Says he needs to get General George Washington's permission to allow Phillips to take a journey to Canada. Tells Phillips that a recruiting party that visited British prisoners was from the navy and that he has asked them to desist in such activities. Has given Captain Williams permission to…

GLC04789.02

5 September 1781

Beckwith, George, 1753-1823

Manuscript document

Title: [British spy report]

Reports on George Knox "formerly a Capt. in the Continental Army" who had resigned his commission in April 1780 and resumed farming in Newark. Informs that Knox turned himself over to loyalist refugees at Bergen and sought to join the British service. Relays that Knox reported that General George Washington is below Philadelphia and the troops with him are the Jersey Brigade of about 600 or 700, the Congress Regiment, a detachment of light infantry formed from York troops, and the French troops. Knox also reported that the New England troops are at the Hudson Highlands under General…

GLC05224.01

10 September 1781

Beckwith, George, 1753-1823

Autograph document signed

Title: [British spy report]

Reports on intelligence given by Jesse Sturges, "Washington's army passed that place on his march to Virginia, in order to form a Junction with the French." Informs that Washington has 5000 French and 2000 Continental troops. States that any boat in the Chesapeake that could carry men was used. Reports that the French fleet is in Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia.

GLC05224.02

1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Header Record

Title: Original document and pamphlet printing of Lincoln's message to Congress 1862 [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC05505

1 December 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document

Title: Message of the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress ...

Title continues "... at the Commencement of the Third Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress." Printed by the Government Printing Office.

GLC05505.02

20 April 1865

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Endorsement of a runaway slave to return to Tennessee to search for his family]

President Johnson, five days after taking office endorses the petition of Jermain Westley Loguen, an escaped slave and Underground Railroad conductor, to return to Tennessee to search for family members. Written on the leaf of a 31 March 1865 autograph letter signed in which Samuel May made the request of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. May's letter is also signed by C.B. Sedgewick, Sherman B. Canfield, Reverend George Whipple, and Lewis Tappan. Johnson's endorsement reads: "the within named Rev J. W. Loguen (col'd) of New York is recommended to the favorable consideration of the Civil…

GLC08942

17 February 1881

Purvis, Robert, 1810-1898

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wendell P. Garrison

Answers questions about William Lloyd Garrison. Comments on his 1833 trip to England, at which time "he was indicted for a libel, by several of the persecutors, of Miss." Explains how he, Lewis Tappan, and others helped Garrison escape apprehension and make the trip. Also comments on Nathaniel Jocelyn's 1833 portrait of Garrison, which was thought "by all his friends, as a most excellent likeness" and subsequently used to make engravings. Mentions the publication of the Liberator. Notes that he recollects Tappan making a statement at an 1833 convention, probably the Anti-Slavery…

GLC08944

20 April 1818

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Printed document

Title: [Act in addition to another act prohibiting the importation of slaves]

Passed by Congress and approved by the President. Outlines the ban on importing slaves, the forfeiture of ships built for such a purpose, and the penalties for involvement in the slave trade. The act being added to prohibited the importation of slaves as of 1 January 1808. The names of Henry Clay (Speaker of the House), John Gaillard (President of the Senate, pro tempore) and President James Monroe are printed at the end. The date is the day Monroe approved the act.

GLC08946

23 June 1834

Williams, Henry, fl. 1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Arthur Waring

An appeal by Williams, on behalf of "the Colourd Citizens of N.Y.," to "the good Colourd Citizens of Washington" for help "in the great and noble under taking to save our paper the Liberator." Explains that the paper is $1,000 in debt, which must be "raised by Coloured Citizens of the U.S. by the middle of July." Implores them to contribute. In a postscript, he asks for a response in a week. Also asks that the matter be kept quiet, because if the American Colonization Society finds out, they will rejoice and "on the 4 day of July blow a trumpet and thunder it from one end of the union to…

GLC08947

17 July 1872

Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895

Pamphlet

Title: U. S. Grant and the colored people

Urging black voters to re-elect President Grant. Subtitled "His wise, just practical, and effective friendship thoroughly vindicated by incontestable facts in his record from 1862-1872." Addressed "To the Colored People of the United States." Defends Grant as a friend of African Americans and cataloges the ways in which he has helped the black race. Two months prior to this letter Douglass declined Victoria Woodhull's offer to run as her Vice-President on the Equal Rights Party ticket.

GLC08950

2 October 1858

Bailey, Gamaliel, 1807-1859

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Request for help in keeping the Abolitionist newspaper National Era in business. Competition has greatly reduced the papers circulation, and it is in danger of folding. Will not take charity or aid from Congress, so only greater circulation can save the paper. Asks the recipient, addressed simply as "My dear sir" to support the paper by renewing their subscription and encouraging others to subscribe. Gives a history of the newspaper and explain why it should be saved. The letter appears to be intended for all the subscribers of the newspaper. It is possible that copies were printed or…

GLC08956

10 June 1862

Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron M. Powell

Discusses an abolitionist meeting he attended, where a memorial was drafted calling on President Lincoln to immediately abolish slavery. Now in New York, an "immense, dirty, bustling, turbulent city." Says of Theodore Tilton, one of his companions at the meeting "should his life be spared, he is destined to be 'a burning and a shining light' in the cause of humanity and progress."

GLC08958

15 February 1866

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isaac Errett

Believes that continued war, and not the recent peace, is the best course of action in regard to the South. "I am more convinced every month, that no truce can be made with the spirit of rebellion, that to fight it to the death is the only way to conquer it or even to secure its respect. Rebels never respected us so much as in battle & never despise us so much as when we attempt to conciliate." Offers to contribute an article to the Chirstian Standard. Both men helped found this newspaper, which was attached to the missionary religious order the Desciples of Christ, and Errett was its…

GLC08959

14 February 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Printed document signed

Title: [Commission of Gideon Stebbins]

Countersigned by Charles Thomson. Partially printed appointment of Gideon Stebbins to Second Lieutenant in the Army of the United States Colonies. Accompanied by two signed payrolls for militia commanded by Stebbins during Shays' rebellion. The payrolls are dated June 1786 and September 1786. (GLC01412.10.01 + GLC01412.10.02)

GLC01412.10.01

June 1786

Stebbins, Gideon, 1739-1829

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Pay roll for Captain Stebbins militia company for service suppressing Shay's Rebellion]

Lists the men and indicates that they helped suppress "the Mob at Northampton."

GLC01412.10.02

September 1786

Stebbins, Gideon, 1739-1829

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Pay roll for Captain Stebbins militia company for service suppressing Shay's Rebellion]

Lists the men and indicates that they served under General William Shepard "in defense of the Supreem Judicial Coart at Springfield."

GLC01412.10.03

1861-1877

Brady, Mathew B., 1823-1896

Photograph

Title: [Carte-de-visite of James T. Brady]

Photo of Brady seated possibly cut out and reprinted from a larger group photo as there is a hand resting on his shoulder.

GLC01822.02

1862/08/05

Ames, Joseph, 1816-1872

Photograph

Title: [James T. Brady]

Photograph of a portrait painting of Brady by Joseph Ames held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

GLC01822.03

26 September 1794

Header Record

Title: Alexander Hamilton letter and engraving [Decimalized]

GLC02908

1763-1783

Engraving

Title: [Engraving of a young Alexander Hamilton]

Note signed by Frederick Reynolds indicates the image was engraved in mezzotint and printed in color. Accompanied (but unrelated to) GLC02908.01.

GLC02908.02

14 June 1813

Hewson, John, 1744-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rufus Lincoln

After a long lapse in correspondence, Hewson is updating Lincoln on his family life. Mentions Lincoln's letter from May 1813. Also mentions that Lincoln's daughter lives in the house of his wife's sister and that she is weak in health, but happy in Philadelphia. Says they had an enjoyable visit with her. His wife just recovered from a painful illness that necessitated a six month confinement. Says he is weak and can only walk 50 yards before tiring after a three month illness. Says he only recovered because of his faith. Is glad a present he sent arrived safely. Thanks Lincoln for the…

GLC03849.01

4 July 1815

Hewson, John, 1744-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rufus Lincoln

Asks forgiveness for not replying to his last letter as he was ill. But says his health is as good and his morals as upright when they were on "the Island" (New York ) together (from a reference in another letter, it appears he escaped in October 1778). Relates what happened to him after they escaped. At 10 p.m. he went to the mouth of a creek which led to the sea. They had prepared a large boat, but not everyone in his party had arrived yet and they took a small canoe instead. There were five in the canoe and they stopped and ballasted it with sand before heading to the ocean. Says they made…

GLC03849.02

23 November 1815

Hewson, John, 1744-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rufus Lincoln

Saw Lincoln's daughter, who brought a letter from Lincoln in response to Hewson's of 4 July 1815. Glad that Lincoln enjoyed his last letter. Expresses joy that Lincoln might come to visit. Tells him his wife died on 30 September 1815 after a nine year battle with disease at the age of 64. Says he is relying on God to see him through this trial. Says she was his second wife, "a good & kind Mother to my five Motherless Children I had when we came together." They were married 41 years and says as she grew more infirm he grew to love her more. Says death did not "approach her as a King of…

GLC03849.03

8 July 1817

Hewson, John, 1744-1821

Autograph letter

Title: to Rufus Lincoln [incomplete]

Says Lincoln's daughter reports his health is as good as can be expected. Hewson says his health has been poor since last winter and that he was confined to the house for eight or nine weeks. Says God wanted him to live in order to help his youngest son, who ruined his family through drinking, move westward to Ohio and work as a carpenter. He has bound him out to a master carpenter for two or three years to complete his training. Says his other son James was in the Hospital for one year at 4 dollars a week and he is to move west as well. A son-in-law has also gotten into debt and ran away and…

GLC03849.04