6 December 1863

Walhert, Christian, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Union soldier's letter]

Discusses completion of the Capitol. Accompanied by patriotic stationery envelope.

GLC08511

16 September 1789

Gazette of the United States

Newspaper

Title: [Gazette of the United States; no. 45].

Prints the debate on a permanent capital for the federal government. Contains a long speech by James Madison in favor of the Potomac River as a site for the capital. (See Pendleton-Madison correspondence, GLC00099.144?) Reports a copy of the act to establish the Treasury Department.

GLC08759

November 1862

Olmsted, Frederick Law, 1822-1903

Pamphlet

Title: What They Have to Do Who Stay at Home

Written by Olmsted as General Secretary of the U.S. Sanitary Commission. Touts the good work of the Sanitary Commission, but "What They Have To Do" is get involved. Calls for a better system of donation and distribution of supplies to alleviate the suffering of sick and wounded troops. Says "The recent battles East and West have completely exhausted the reserved stock of the Commission, and it is found now not only impracticable to accumulate supplies, but impossible to meet even urgent demands daily made by hospitals within sight of the very dome of the Capitol." Says materials are becoming…

GLC08665

19 April 1861

Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

Newspaper

Title: Liberator. [Vol. XXXL, no. 16 (April 19, 1861)]

Announces "Civil War Begun. Fort Sumter Captured. The Federal Capital in Danger. Thousands of Troops Mustering. The North United At Last." Includes proclamations by the President, official correspondence regarding the surrender of Fort Sumter, details on the fighting, articles on the coming conflict, and opinion pieces attacking the South and calling for abolition.

GLC08429.02

December 6, 1838

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to the Senate of the United States

Instructions for complying with the act of July 1, 1836 concerning a bequest made by James Smithson to the United States government. Asks Congress to attend to properly fulfilling the object of the bequest. Informs that last July the Secretary of State was directed to obtain information from persons in the science and public education fields for their opinions on how to best use the funds. Includes copies of the circular letter with the results of these directions for Congress to review (not present). The bequest was eventually used to establish the Smithsonian Institute in 1846.

GLC00198

1850

United States. Congress

Pamphlet

Title: Proceedings of the United States Senate on the Fugitive Slave Bill,- the abolition of the slavetrade in the District of Columbia, - and the imprisonment of free colored seamen in the Southern ports ...

Includes speeches of Senators John Davis, Grenville Winthrop, and others. Printed by T. R. Marvin.

GLC00267.066

1840

Slade, William, 1786-1859

Pamphlet

Title: Speech of Mr. Slade, of Vermont, on the right to petition; the power of Congress to abolish slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia;...

Title continues, "...the implied faith of the north and the south to each other in forming the constitution; and the principles, purposes, and prospects of abolition." Slade, a Congressman from Vermont, protests the Gag rule, which prohibited the issue of slavery in the District of Columbia from being discussed in the House of Representatives. Delivered in the House of Representatives, 18 and 20 January 1840. Printed by Gales and Seaton in Washington, D.C.

GLC00267.093

1838

Weld, Theodore Dwight, 1803-1895

Book

Title: The Power of Congress over the District of Columbia.

Reprinted from the New-York Evening Post, with additions by the author. Printed by John F. Throw.

GLC00267.068

October 4, 1864

Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

Letter signed

Title: to George Dodge

Orders Colonel Dodge, Chief Quartermaster at Bermuda Hundred, to send all available boats that could carry troops to Washington, D.C. Written from Butler's Headquarters of the Army of the James in pencil, docketed in ink.

GLC00468.02

6 March 1865

Warren, Henry F., fl. 1860-1865

Photograph

Title: The latest photograph of President Lincoln. Taken on the balcony at the White House, March 6, 1865.

One photograph entitled, "The latest photograph of Abraham Lincoln," dated March 6, 1865 taken by Henry F. Warren. Photograph was taken on the south balcony of the White House.

GLC00535

December 16, 1793

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Carroll

Written to Carroll as Commissioner for the City of Washington. The letter discusses the "free stone" on Washington's property, a plan of Mr. Greenleaf to sell lots and buildings (George Washington directs him to the Commissioners), and Greenleaf's proposal to build a city hospital. The letter mentions quarries and marble for building the Capitol. Washington's signature is repaired. Docketed on page 4.

GLC00496.098

circa July 1838

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Speech fragment on the proposed annexation of Texas]

Report of Adams to his constituents on events in the 25th Congress, intended for newspaper publication. Adams mentions the speech of Vermont Congressman William Slade, which so offended southerners that they walked out. Discusses annexation of Texas, abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, duplicity of administration and Southern slave states as well as the suspension of the rules of the House of Representatives for debate. Beginning on 16 June 1838, Adams filibustered Congress for three weeks, giving up the floor only when Congress adjourned for the summer recess. He spoke…

GLC00567

December 9, 1861

Van Valkenburgh, David H., ?-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father

Written at Camp Barry near Washington D.C. References his father's earlier letter. Says he has not written often because he knows the letters he writes to his wife are read by everyone. He is glad to hear that his father might visit Washington. He wishes he could have seen some of the reviews, but says he will see some if he comes as 100,000 troops are to winter in the vicinity of Washington. Says he has "seen McClellan he is a noble looking man but seems young for the responsibilities that rest upon his shoulders, but they all think him competent to fill the place." Says the city has…

GLC00686.06

May 28, 1862

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry W. Halleck

George Brinton McClellan informs Halleck of reports that Richmond has been reinforced by troops from the south, and discusses plans for defending Washington. Letter written during the height of the Peninsula Campaign, when Union forces were closest to Richmond. McClellan states "Nothing especially new except combination of reports that reinforcements making Richmond from South. It is not confirmed that any of Bragg's troops are yet here. My opinion is more and more firm that here is the defence of Washington, and that I should be at once reinforced by all available troops to enable me to…

GLC00664.01

October 7, 1862

Beach, Elias William, 1841-1921

Autograph letter signed

Title: to friends at home

Letter provides descriptions of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and discusses army life. Letter written from "Camp Lesley, Near the Navy Yard," in Washington, D.C.

GLC00919.10

03 May 1834

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Presidential appointment of James Dunlop, William O'Neale, and Thomas Carbery as inspectors of the District of Columbia penitentiary]

Countersigned by Secretary of State Louis McLane. With two engraved portraits of Andrew Jackson. One bust engraving of Jackson included as collateral.

GLC00937

16 October 1862

White, Jonathon C., fl. 1862-1863

Newspaper

Title: The Weekly junior register. [Vol. 1, no. 43 (October 16, 1862)]

Several articles and ads are in both English and French. Content includes "Late News" on the Battle of Corinth, Butler's order from occupied New Orleans, requiring all adults who have not taken the oath of allegiance to report to the nearest Provost Marshal with a descriptive list of all property for taxation and for a certificate citing them as an enemy of the United States, news of a telegraph line connecting Washington and California, report of planned protest in New York against Lincoln's [preliminary] Emancipation Proclamation. An editorial examines Northern motivations. Printed on outer…

GLC00846

January 16, 1840

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Solomon Haven

Fillmore writes as a U.S. Representative to Haven, serving as lawyer in Buffalo, New York. He complains of the cold, writing "People here know nothing of comfort in cold weather. Their houses are all built for a southern summer, but by some mistake we have now got a northern winter." Remarks that Mitchell (possibly Representative Charles F. Mitchell, also from New York) made an exposé the previous day in the House of Representatives, and that it will be published in the following day's Intelligencer. He remarks "The day has been wholly spent in discussing abolition- All the insolent…

GLC01088

October 14, 1874

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

McClellan sends regrets that he was not able to attend the wedding of Sherman's daughter. States that they are leaving tomorrow for Venice, then Alexandria and the Nile to spend the winter. Mentions that it must be a relief to be away from all the politicians in Washington, as Sherman had moved to St. Louis. "I can imagine what a relief it must be to you to get rid of the politicians & the very disagreeable atmosphere of that abominable city." Letter written from the Hotel Byron, Villeneuve, Switzerland. Not docketed in Sherman's hand.

GLC01100

1 January 1814

Wilson, John, 1777-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

On the political matters of the day he describes Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, who later that year was appointed one of the commissioners to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent, "as the Political index to guide us in the path to be pursued." Discusses fashion in Washington, D.C., describing Dolley Madison and what she wore. Mentions that she resembled Madame Johnson. Also gives a description of James Madison.

GLC06313.04.031

1 June 1824

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Updates his brother-in-law on his journey from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, via Columbia, Pennsylvania. From Philadelphia, he plans to return to Washington while his wife Grace Webster continues to New York via Princeton.

GLC01946.01

28 May 1865

Donahue, Thomas, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Almira Winchell

Discusses the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C. Describes some of the signs hung on buildings that welcomed the soldiers home. Accompanied by an envelope printed with the insignia of the Fifth Corps.

GLC04706.16

18 March 1862

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louise Walbridge

Walbridge describes Washington D.C. and includes a lengthy descriptions of an equestrian statue of General Andrew Jackson, capitol building and its statues, the paintings in the dome, and its ventilation system.

GLC04663.01

2 May 1798

Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Lear, Washington's former secretary, encourages Knox to do business with him in the nascent federal city. Says materials are needed to construct the "public buildings."

GLC02437.07123

10 October 1789

Lee, Henry, 1756-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Congratulates Knox on his recent honor (likely his appointment as Secretary of War). Asks, "whether the second revolution will produce half the good predicted by its friends and whether the eastern conspiracy in the house of representatives declared afterwards on the floor respecting the permanent seat of govt. will not prove [incontestibly] the [simplicity] of associating with them in a form of govt. where they possess a majority." Adds that it is only his desire to preserve the new government he fought hard to help create, that prevents him from arguing further. Declares, "In as many…

GLC02437.04385