4 July 1873

Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874

Printed document

Title: Let crushed Cuba arise! Substance of the speech of Gerrit Smith, in Syracuse, July 4th 1873.

Smith writes, "In our Fourth of July celebrations there are two events, which, far above all other events, we come together to celebrate. One of these is the deliverance of our country, nearly a century ago, from political despotism, and the other is the practical recognition by our nation, a few years since, of the grand doctrine that 'all men are created equal.'"

GLC04717.63

4 January 1850

Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874

Printed letter

Title: to John Cochran, Isaac T. Hopper, Daniel C. Eaton, George H. Evans, and William Kemeys

Smith writes to prominent men he chose to designate the distribution of gifts of land and money among five hundred males and females from New York. Notes that he will not give the females land, but will instead bestow $50 upon each of them. Declares, "Alas, that good men should be so slow to see, that the acknowledged right of every generation, and the whole of every generation, to the use of the earth, as well as to the use of the sea, the light, and the air, is necessarily preliminary to that state of universal comfort... for which good men labor and pray!" Notes that most of the land is…

GLC04717.65

13 March 1871

Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874

Printed document

Title: The West Point mob.

Smith discusses recent mob activity at West Point, New York: "Nothing else is so frightful as a mob- that many-headed monster, whose every head refuses to be controlled. Mobs and their dramshop inspiration threaten the ruin of our country. Ours is emphatically the country of mobs. Slavery made it such." Judging from Smith's text, West Point cadets kidnapped and threatened to tar and feather several African Americans.

GLC04717.66

14 May 1776

Howard, John Eager, 1752-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Apologizes for disturbing Knox with this letter, refers to Knox as his benefactor, and insists that he writes out of necessity. Describes his impromtu joining of the campaign on the recent march from Massachusetts to New York, his lack of money, and his awkward position as neither an officer nor a soldier. Explains the dignity and honor of being well dressed. Requests relief (meaning money). Assures Knox that he will not be "one of the Continent's bad Bargains," explaining a common reference to those who have joined the service to "amuse and gratify" instead of for Howard's noble reasons…

GLC02437.00299

15 November 1793

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Marked "Private." Makes reference to the "baneful leaven," the radical democratic principles of the French Revolution, influencing troops in his army. Mentions that Thomas Paine's "The rights of man, has been held up as a Criterion, even of Military Government. Attempts have frequently been made to evade & disobey Orders, under various & unworthy pretexts & idle quibles [sic], unknown at any period before that time, in the Legion." Reports that the most visible actor is Major Cushing "who is a very artful & seditious man." Also mentions a Captain Gunn. Goes into some of…

GLC02437.05975

4 March 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Thoughts on court martial and the duty of judge advocate]

Written in the hand of, and signed for Knox, by Samuel Shaw. Docketed by Knox. Major General Knox's guidelines and procedures on how a court martial ought to be conducted. Wants to allow challenges to members of the court without any given reason; is against general charges when they should be particular; those on trial can put their own testimony in writing subject to cross examination; no written testimony taken outside of court should be admitted against a person in a trial of life or death; ex parte evidence taken out of court not to be admitted; suggestive interrogations ought not to…

GLC02437.01979

5 August 1790

Street, Samuel, fl. 1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jeremiah Wadsworth

Considers the implications of a recent diplomatic success Colonel [Alexander] McGillivray had negotiating on behalf of the Creek Nation. McGillivray recovered for the Creeks land that the governor of Georgia had given to Georgia citizens. He declared that under the law, the President had to help protect Indians' rights and allow them a redress of grievances. Street hopes that a similar dispensation will be given to the Five Nations. Declares that in the same law, "the President is vested with power to make such order respecting the Indian Tribes which are surrounded in their settlements…

GLC02437.04670

circa 1854

Gillette, Francis, 1807-1879

Pamphlet

Title: Speech of Mr. Gillette

Location inferred from content. A note on last page indicates this document was created after 24 May 1854. In response to the question, "Are you willing that the black man shall participate, equally with the white man, in all the social and political benefits of this country," Gillette replies, "I certainly am willing, yea, desirous, that all men, irrespective of color, stature, height, circumference, or any other of the accidents of being, should have the same rights and the enjoyment of the same privileges, to work out the great problem of their existence, and to 'participate equally'... "

GLC05116.08

28 August 1955

X, Malcolm, 1925-1965

Typed letter signed

Title: To Elijah Muhammad

Muslim Temple activities in Harlem and Boson: "I have four brothers now working as assistents, alternating. This keeps from causing the people to be bored..."

GLC08053

16 October 1864

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Is going to try writing with his left hand. "I am feeling quite nice and smart." Wants to come home very much, but must be patient. If he goes home too soon, the wound may get worse. Has "the best of care" here. Must stop; hand is getting tired. Ed Bridgman will write as often as ever.

GLC09355.103

19 March 1943

Greenfield, Alvin, 1924-1946

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sylvia Weiner

Alvin just learned that Moe is in Salem, Oregon. He also learned that Algerian Jews had their citizenship revoked. He says this bothers him greatly for if he fought alongside a Frenchman, he would have no regard for him.

GLC09414.1541

7 March 1945

Weiner, Morris "Moe", 1909-1988

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sylvia Weiner

Moe received another package from his mother but has received so many, has not had time to open them all. He also says Sylvia's organization ought to focus on veterans' rights.

GLC09414.1345

1875

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

letter fragment. refers to the corpses of "murdered colored men." mentions that Davis is going to resign as a compromise. says he once unseated six democrats and seated six republicans, wishes it could have been 60.

GLC09400.542

January 19, 1878

Honey, James N., fl. 1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Blanche Kelso Bruce

Requests the Report of Bouthwell's committee appointed to investigate the Clinton Riot. (Sen. George S. Boutwell headed a committee to investigate orchestrated violence against African-American voters in Mississippi during the election of 1875.) Written in the House of Representatives.

GLC09400.344

6 December 1876

Powers, R.L., fl. 1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Blanche Kelso Bruce

Powers is writing to Senator Bruce to ask him to keep an eye on Power's nomination to the Senate, and if there is strong opposition to let him know so he can come to Washington to defend himself. In the second half of the letter Powers mentions that the "motto of the Mississippi Democracy is to "Rule or Destroy the negro" and they are as cruel and unrelenting as savages in pursuing this policy.".

GLC09400.192

29 April 1876

Hall, P.C., fl. 1876-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Blanche Kelso Bruce

Hall is asking Senator Bruce's opinion on what the future of Mississippi is considering the proposed investigation into the election. Hall would also like information regarding a possible petition that has been put together to remove the present post master of Vicksburg.

GLC09400.172

June 3, 1893

Christian Arbitration and Peace Society, fl. 1893

Typed letter

Title: to George May Powell

They protest the discrimination against Chinese people from and on American shores, citing statistics of imports and exports with Hong Kong. There are two copies.

GLC00687.145

1903

Burch, Henry Reed, fl. 1903

Pamphlet

Title: Conditions Affecting the Suffrage in the Colonies

GLC08880.098

13 May 1944

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962

Typed letter signed

Title: to Addie Frizielle

In this letter from 1944 Mrs. Roosevelt responded to one of her critics, Addie Frizielle, who worried about the desegregation of restrooms and forced social interaction between the races in the government's movement toward racial equality in some spheres. The First Lady responded to Addie Frizielle who voiced concerns regarding desegregation. Mrs. Roosevelt enumerates the "four basic rights which I believe every citizen in a democracy must enjoy. These are the right for equal education, the right to work for equal pay according to ability, the right to justice under the law, the right to…

GLC09544.01

10 November 1864

Confederate States of America. Congress

Printed document

Title: House Bill, No. 267.-Secret. A Bill To suspend the privilege of writ of habeas corpus, in certain cases, for a limited time.

stamp of record division

GLC06745.111

23 July 1865

Glaze, H.S., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amos J. Harding

Mustered out of service on 13 July and finally feels like a free citizen. Has not gone into business yet and is not sure where and what business he will get into, but it will happen soon. In St. Louis, he saw a mutual friend, who looked fine as usual. Harding has a poor opinion of Nashville. Glad that Harding is strongly taking the side of the colored people. Writes that Black people will "suffer great hardship by their former masters unless protected by the military and especially by the officers in the Freedmen's Bureau." Has never been an advocate of immediately extending suffrage to…

GLC02178.10

8 May 1944

Diamond, Sidney, 1922-1945

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Estelle Spero

Diamond writes that, as a result of his position as executive officer, he now gives instructions on Japanese weapons. He also comments that, having "fought and worked…side by side with the negro soldiers", he is "nauseated" by the reports of growing trouble in the "negro-white situation" that he has read about in "Time". He states that men from the South, as well as the North, have come to respect and admire the "negro troops": "It is indeed shameful that upon the return of these men, this community of thought and consideration will be shattered by the narrow minded idiots whose revolting…

GLC09120.408

13 May 1944

Diamond, Sidney, 1922-1945

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Estelle Spero

Diamond passes comment on the previous night's entertainment. He also discusses an army film on England, which he writes gave "a direct, frank, and uncolored recognition of white prejudice towards the negro and an appeal…for understanding and destruction of color barriers."

GLC09120.411

20 May 1880

Turner, J. Milton, 1840-1915

Autograph document signed

Title: [Circular Letter re: Statement of support for the Nomination of Blanche Kelso Bruce as Vice President]

Turner and Bell are addressing the Republican Party with the intention of putting forth Blanche Kelso Bruce as a nominee for the Vice Presidency of the United States at the upcoming Chicago Convention. The two then discuss his consistent record as a Republican Senator in the south an area that the Republicans have been losing control over, as well as the fact that the population in the south is becoming disenfranchised. The two bring up his loyalty to the Republican Party, as well as his responsible conduct as a Senator. The statement also mentions the numbers of republican voters in…

GLC09400.133

27 May 1943

Weiner, Sylvia, 1912-2008

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Morris "Moe" Weiner

Sylvia went to the Executive Board Meeting the night before and she is now the Educational Chairman. While in Washington D.C. representatives of Community CIO Council met with the president [FDR] who discussed prices and rationing with them and said he needed their help in persuading Congress. She talked about a sailor who had come to see Congress in session when they were debating the Anti-Poll Tax Bill and had shouted that he was fighting to save democracy. The papers printed what he said, not what the Southerners in Congress said.

GLC09414.0047