11 October 1856

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frederick Brown & Jeremiah Brown

Leaving Kansas, his poor health, and the health of his sons. Says he is leaving Kansas "both on business: & to recover my health," as he is suffering from "Dysentary & Chill Fever." However, "I expect to go back should the trouble continue" Mentions his half-sister Fiorella Adair and her family. Says John Jr. "is very much broken down; & altered by his troubles" which included being beaten and imprisoned. Brown was also inclined to leave Kansas because he was a wanted man there, and because his homestead had been destroyed. Written to his brother Frederick and half-brother…

GLC04463.01

28 April 1855

Brown, Frederick, 1830-1856

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Brown

Journey to Kansas, staking claims in Osawatomie, and plans to build a settlement. Says he, Owen, and Salmon arrived in Osawatomie, without John Jr. and Jason, and have found good land. They "intend to put up some cabbins and get to ploughing as quick as possible." Says he has the Ague, Calves are doing well, mentions their relatives the Adair family. Written to his father.

GLC04463.03

12 November 1794

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Signature

Title: Notes on the State of Virginia (George Washington's copy)

Signed by Washington on the title page. The book is the second American edition of Notes on the State of Virginia, published by Mathew Carey in Philadelphia, with original worn sheep binding. Jefferson's book not only covered geography of Virginia, but also government, Indians and slavery. Washington's papers show he purchased this on 5 January 1795. There are no notes inside the book. This edition lacks the Fry-Jefferson map sometimes found in the first American edition (and usually found in the first edition published in London).

GLC04389

1857

Howard, Benjamin C., 1791-1872

Book

Title: Report of cases argued and adjudged in the Supreme Court of the United States. December term, 1856.

Published by William M. Morrison and Company. Includes report on Dred Scott v. Sandford.

GLC04394

12 July 1823

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hardy Murfree Cryer

Describes the flogging and subsequent escape of an enslaved man named Cyrus. Explains the events that led to the overseer, Mr. Parsons, flogging Cyrus, and Cyrus' running away. Says Cyrus has been found and that "Cyrus shall not be abused, but he must be taught subordination." Cryer may have been interested in buying Cyrus. Written from the Hermitage.

GLC04363

7 November 1836

Lundy, Benjamin, 1789-1839

Letter signed

Title: to Elizur Wright

Lundy writes to Wright, a fellow abolitionist. Lundy is on a committee organizing a convention held to establish a state anti-slavery society. The convention will meet at Harrisburg 19 December, and Lundy solicits Wright's participation. Signed by other members of the committee: William H. [Scott?], Isaac Parrish, Lewis C. Gunn, and Benjamin S. Jones. Written on the Anti-Slavery Society's stationary bearing an engraving by Patrick Reason. The image depicts a bonded slave woman kneeling and the text "Engraved by P. Reason: A Colored Young Man of the City of New York 1835." The image is…

GLC04372.01

15 July 1860

Smoot, A. Jackson, 1828-1906

Broadside

Title: [Reward for Nace Dorsey, a runaway slave]

Award offered by A. Jackson Smoot. Smoot offers $150 for Dorsey, described as a "Negro Man... 5 feet 11 inches in height-- may be 6 feet-- large and muscular, black, and with a few grey hairs. Is about 40 years old."

GLC04372.02

1860

Taney, Roger Brooke, 1777-1864

Pamphlet

Title: The Dred Scott Decision

A pamphlet containing Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott case, as well as two articles asserting the inferiority of "the negro race." One is an introduction by Van Evrie stating "the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott decision, has defined the relations, and fixed the status of the subordinate race forever-for that decision is in accord with the natural relations of the races, and therefore can never perish. It is based on historical and existing facts, which are indisputable, and it is a necessary, indeed unavoidable inference, from these facts." The other is an essay by Cartwright entitled "…

GLC04393

28 June 1849

Payne, Ann, fl. 1849

Document signed

Title: [Deed of sale for two slaves]

Possibly a copy possibly written in the hand of Lewis Carbery. Deed of sale for slaves Eliza Jones & son Sam Jones for $170 to William Fowler. Eliza, age twenty-nine, and son Sam, sixteen months, were sold on condition that Eliza be freed on Ann Payne's death and that Sam be freed at the age of 28. Signed by Payne with her mark. Second page is Lewis Carbery's autograph endorsement signed, attesting to the sale as justice of the peace. Docket signed by Jonathan A. Smith.

GLC04294

12 June 1863

Dick, Franklin Archibald, 1823-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Drake

Written as provost marshal of St. Louis. Replies to Drake's request for information concerning the Missouri congressional laws about emancipating slaves in compliance with the Emancipation Proclamation. Details General Orders no. 35, which instructed the provost marshals "to take testimony as to the acts of disloyal slave owners," and ascertain the facts. Explains that there is great opposition to the enforcement of the law. "...for the spirit of resistance to it amongst the Enrolled Militia, has left those officers nearly powerless in the absence of U.S. troops, and they being the first…

GLC04274

1831

Warner, Samuel, fl. 1831

Book

Title: Authentic and impartial narrative of the tragical scene which was witnessed in Southampton County (Virginia) on Monday the 22d of August last...

(title continues)... when fifty-five of its inhabitants (mostly women and children) were inhumanly massacred by the blacks! Communicated by those who were eye witnesses of the bloody scene, and confirmed by the confessions of several of the blacks while under Sentence of Death. Printed for Warner & West. Includes fold-out leaf opposite title page with the woodcut "Horrid Massacre in Virginia." Foldout measures 19.8 x 27.3 cm. The Southampton Insurrection is also known as Nat Turner's Rebellion.

GLC04548

1857-1880

Ivy, Edward, 1857-1880

Header Record

Title: Reconstruction archive: CSA parole & oath, Bailey Family contracts with freedmen [Decimalized .01-.16]

The collection includes a Georgia parole for the soldier (sometimes "Edwin") of New Orleans (#1), an agreement dated 5/22/1865 to register his plantation while abiding by the laws now protecting freedmen (#7); oaths of allegiance and amnesty (#2-4, 8), and three contracts between the Bailey Family (in Arkansas) with freeman Alie Bailey and other freed slaves (#8-10), as well as personal papers. The contracts offer different compensation (one freeman was single).

GLC04522

1836

American Anti-Slavery Society, 1833-1870

Broadside

Title: Slave Market of America.

American Anti-Slavery Society broadside regarding the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. The text quotes scripture, the Declaration of Independence, the federal Constitution, state constitutions, and news accounts. Illustrated with nine woodcuts. The woodcuts include the signing of the Declaration (based on Trumbull), a map of the capitol district entitled "The Residence of 7000 Slaves," a picture of the capitol building, three pictures of public prisons including one captioned "Jail in Washington, Sale of a Free Citizen to pay his Jail Fees," and three pictures of "Private…

GLC04557

February 14, 1844

Gilmore, Hiram Sandford, 1819-1849

Printed letter signed

Title: [Subscription letter for legal defense of John "Vansandt" (Van Zandt), who helped a fugitive slave]

Printed letter with blank subscription page summing up the case of Jones v. "Vansandt" (Van Zandt) and seeking contributions towards Van Zandt's defense. Van Zandt, a Cincinnati farmer, had transported an escaped Kentucky slave in his wagon, and was being held accountable in a Kentucky court for $1,700 for his actions. Trying to raise money for him to take his case to the Supreme Court and fight the "atrocious act of 1793" under which he was convicted. The act "renders any man liable to a fine of $500 for feeding, sheltering, or aiding a wayfarer." Says the suit is "one of the most…

GLC04555

January 11, 1867

Barlow, Francis Channing, 1834-1896

Printed document signed

Title: [Certifying copy of New York resolution ratifying Fourteenth amendment]

A true copy certifying that New York State has ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, a copy of which is on the second page.

GLC04556

1861-1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Header Record

Title: [Collection of George W. Tillotson, H company, 89th regiment, New York, infantry] [Decimalized .01-.208]

Sergeant Tillotson served with the 89th NYS Vols (Dickinson Guards). He came from Greene, NY and left behind a wife and three children. His correspondence, mostly with his wife A. Elizabeth ("Libby") describe camp life, complains about the war, abolitionists, emancipation and his wish to return home. The inventory itemizes each document. Tillotson saw service on the Carolina coast and in the Penninsula campaign. He later saw service at Petersburg. The collection is particularly interesting because Tillotson started out an Unionist soon disillusioned by the war, and was won back to…

GLC04558

January 17, 1860

Cobb, Thomas Read Rootes, 1823-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Cobb suggests that the proposed legal code sent to him by the recipient is too complicated, and should be simplified, while emphasizing remedies rather than general principles. Does not want the code, apparently for the state of Georgia, to become "too bulky." Also states: "I notice your suggestion about a Penal Code for Blacks & will act accordingly." Written to "Dear Judge."

GLC04646

1863

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Broadside

Title: Facsimile of the Emancipation Proclamation

Large format facsimile of Lincoln's handwritten Emancipation Proclamation draft in the Confederacy. Includes blind stamp of authenticity, "Emancipation Proclamation," in lower left corner. Printed by Edward Mendel, Chicago. Prints Lincoln's letter of 26 October 1863 to the ladies in charge of the Northwestern Fair for the Sanitary Commission.

GLC04654

1861-1866

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Header Record

Title: Collection of Charles E. Walbridge, US volunteers quartermaster's department [Decimalized .001-.126]

The collection contains 125 letters of Charles E. Walbridge, of Buffalo, New York, to his mother. Two stray items are at the end of the inventory: an undated letter to his mother and a letter to Minnie Walbridge, his sister (#126). The letters cover Walbridge's recruitment in New York and his service in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. Although he enlisted as a member of the 100th New York Volunteers, Walbridge repeatedly served in the quartermaster's department, and eventually became Chief Quartermaster on General Truman Seymour's staff. Walbridge rose from…

GLC04662

December 1, 1833

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: American Colonization Society membership certificate, signed blank

Printed membership certificate signed by Madison as President and R. R. Gurley as Secretary. The American Colonization Society resettled Black freedpeople in Liberia. D.B. Mattern letter 6/14/96, Madison accepted the presidency per his 19 February 1833 letter to Gurley (although it is a little equivocal); dating based on a 11/30/1833 letter from JM enclosing signed certificates (they may have been post-dated). Previous dating based on a certificate signed by JM as President, dated 1/1/1834 for Thomas H. Hulback offered by University Archive catalog #120. See correspondence in collateral…

GLC04675.02

January 18, 1848

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred O. Nicholson

Supports Lewis Cass' concept of popular sovereignty, enabling each new state to vote whether or not to allow slavery, believing that this is the best way to extend and protect slavery. "It seems to me for the south to admit that the federal Government has the power to establish slavery where it does not now, exist, (that is in the territories) is conceding all that the most ultr & Wilmot proviso man desires - for if the Government can establish, in slave territory now free, it can abollish it in a territory where it does exist...Our true position in my opinion, is, to deny all power to…

GLC04628

1840

Barber, John Warner, 1798-1885

Pamphlet

Title: A history of the Amistad captives: being a circumstantial account of the capture of the Spanish schooner Amistad, by the Africans on board...

(title continues)... their voyage, and capture near Long Island, New York; with biographical sketches of each of the surviving Africans; also, an account of the trials had on their case, before the district and circuit courts of the United States, for the district of Connecticut. Published by E. L. & J. W. Barber. Compiled by Barber, member of the Connecticut Historical Society. Contains a fold-out wood cut depicting the death of Captain Ramon Ferrer on board the Amistad (refer to GLC04295 for the individual wood-cut). This book was reprinted in 1969 by Arno Press and is also…

GLC04574

May 2, 1862

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Printed document

Title: Message rallying troops before an anticipated battle at Corinth, with illegible signature

Calls on the "Soldiers of Shiloh and Elkhorn" to "drive back into the Tennessee the presumptuous mercenaries collected for our subjugation." Tells his men "We are about to meet once more, in the shock of battle, the invaders of our soil, the despoilers of our homes, the disturbers of our family ties. Face to face, hand to hand, we are to decide whether we are to be freemen, or the slaves of those who are free only in name...Let the impending battle decide our fate, and add one more illustrious page to the history of our Revolution; one to which our children will point with noble pride,…

GLC04593

1823-1832

Mayo, Isaac, 1791-1861

Header Record

Title: Letters as commander of USS Grampus off Cuba re: piracy, slave ships, Lafayette [Decimalized .01-.24]

Written to or from Mayo. Includes mention of capture of a slave trader off the coast of Haiti. Also includes pamphlet, report of Congress on Cuba.

GLC04604

1780s?

Wright, James, fl. 1780

Broadside

Title: James Wright, of Haverhill... [Merchant will not sell sugar due to slave labor]

Printed at Bury by P. Gedge, Agent to the Sun Fire Office.

GLC04614