May 20, 1842

Tyler, John, 1790-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Elisha R. Potter

Written at the height of the Dorr controversy, when Thomas W. Dorr's followers who wanted to put a new Rhode Island state constitution in place to expand suffrage, illegally elected Dorr the governor. Tyler explains his response to the affair, his desire for amnesty, peace, and to undercut public sympathy for the Dorrites who invoked the right of rebellion. Concedes that "Dorr's recent proceedings have been so extravagant a character as allmost to extinguish the las hope of a peaceable result." Notes that the developments make it difficult for Rhode Island Governor Samuel Ward King to yield…

GLC01131

15 June 1779

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Broadside

Title: House resolutions for framing a new state constitution

Resolving that towns have elections and that elect representatives to a convention.

GLC01142

February 16, 1836

Austin, Stephen F., 1793-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John McCalla

Austin argues that the Mexican government's usurpations and violations of the constitutional rights of Texans led to this "war of independence." Mentions Santanna's pending invasion. With Nashville postal stamp on address leaf.

GLC01161

April 11, 1842

Houston, Sam, 1793-1863

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Edward Burleson

Houston, as President of the Republic of Texas, writes to Edward Burleson, the Vice President of Texas, about the security of Austin as Texas's capital. He considers the vulnerability of the archives of the Republic to attack, while they are kept in Austin. Advocates the removal of the Texas government from Austin to Houston, because Houston is much easier to defend, especially in the case of a war with Mexico. He declares that the "Constitution has reserved to the Executive the right to remove the offices when he may deem proper in time of war, for the security of the archives of the…

GLC01171

1780

Massachusetts Constitution

Book

Title: A Constitution or frame of government... of the state of Massachusetts

Printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons.

GLC01844

1865

Cannon & Holden (printers)

Book

Title: Executive documents. Convention. Session 1865. Constitution of North-Carolina, with amendments, and ordinances and resolutions passed by the convention session, 1865.

Prints reconstruction constitution of North Carolina. Index includes: Messages of Provisional Governor Holden to the convention, Report of public treasurer to the convention, Report of superintendent of insane asylum, Report of superintendent of the deaf and dumb and blind asylum, Constitution of the state of North Carolina, with amendments, Ordinances and resolutions passed by the convention session, 1865. Printed by Cannon & Holden, Raleigh, North Carolina. Clipping pasted inside front cover about the proposed 14th amendment to the United States Constitution.

GLC01973

1778

Book

Title: Recueil des loix constitutives des colonies [french compilation of US documents]

French compilation of documents relating to American independence and self-rule, including state constitutions. Includes Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation. Dedicated to Franklin.

GLC01720

June 19, 1863

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Letter signed

Title: to E. Malhiot

Signed as President, insisting that Louisiana will not be allowed to have an election until the new state constitution abolishes slavery. Demonstrates the hardening of Lincoln's attitude towards slavery.

GLC01571

1787

Varnum, James M., fl. 1787

Book

Title: The case of Trevett against Weeden: On Information and Complaint,....

Evans 20825, Kress B1355, Sabin 98638. The legal case tested the powers of the Articles of Confederation to the right of Trial by Jury.

GLC02443

May 1842

Dorr, Thomas Wilson, 1805-1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert P. Letcher

Sends the governor of Kentucky resolutions from the Rhode Island Assembly. The resolutions, printed on the verso and signed by Rhode Island Secretary of State William H. Smith, ordered Dorr to tell the president, congress, and state governors and governments that the Rhode Island General Assembly was in session. Dorr signed as governor. Dorr supporters, desiring more liberal suffrage laws in Rhode Island, had organized and elected their own convention, wrote a new state constitution, and elected Dorr governor. The move was rejected by the legitimate governor, Samuel H. King, and the…

GLC02505.16

1845

Texas Republic

Manuscript document signed

Title: Republic of Texas, Austin county election results re: annexation & constitution

Republic of Texas, Austin County election results on the question of annexation, sent to Edwin Waller as Chief Justice of the county.

GLC02582

1860

Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

Pamphlet

Title: The barbarism of slavery. Speech of Hon. Charles Sumner, on the Bill for the admission of Kansas as a free state.

Disbound. Printed by Buell & Blanchard. Senator Sumner declares, "When last I entered into this debate, it became my duty to expose the Crime against Kansas, and to insist upon the immediate admission of that Territory as a State of this Union, with a Constitution forbidding slavery. Time has passed; but the question remains."

GLC08445.01

1856-1857

Pamphlet

Title: State legislatures' resolutions regarding Kansas and slavery [Decimalized .01-.08]

34th Congress House of Representatives Miscellaneous Documents. Contains resolutions passed by the state legislatures of Kentucky, Ohio, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Iowa, and Michigan. Apparently disbound from a larger volume. Accompanied by wrapper with identification statements written in ink.

GLC08452

1861

Confederate States of America

Pamphlet

Title: Provisional and Permanent Constitutions, Together with the Acts and Resolutions of the First Session of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States

Printed and bound by Shorter & Reid. Pages 3-31 contains the Constitution of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, divided into 7 articles. Pages 32-139 contains Acts and Resolutions of the First Session of the Provisional Congress, divided into 101 acts and resolutions. Index on pages 141-160.

GLC08495

circa 1780

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Autograph document

Title: [Notes from the Pennsylvania Executive Council regarding pardons, appointments, and appropriations of funds].

Wayne notes that on 6 January 1780, the Executive Council pardoned William Cassidy and Peter Swope, both of whom were "convicted of high treason--on condition that he serve as a soldier during the present war in one of the regiments of this State..." Wayne terms the declaration of the Council "A dangerous president [sic--precedent]...of fatal consequences." Also notes the appointment of a judge who took office while failing to resign as a member of the House of Representatives. Mentions disparagingly the appropriations of scalping rewards and other questionable payments. Concludes with entry…

GLC08497

1861

Pamphlet

Title: The Constitution of the state of Texas.... [and] of the Confederate States...

Printed by John Marshall

GLC08669

18 March 1850

Gwin, William M., 1805-1885

Pamphlet

Title: Memorial of the senators and representatives elect from the state of California...

Title continues "asking permission of said State into the Union, together with the credentials of said representatives, and a certified copy of the constitution of said State." House of Representatives Misc. No. 44. Plea signed by William Gwin, John Fremont, G.W. Wright, and Edward Gilbert. Includes a copy of the California state constitution.

GLC08439

1876

Clark, William M., fl. 1876

Pamphlet

Title: The Constitution of the state of Colorado, adopted in convention, March 14, 1876; also the address of the convention to the people of Colorado.

Printed by the Tribune Book and Job Printing House. Inscribed on the title page by William M. Clark, chairman of the constitutional convention of Colorado, to Barton House. Includes 19 articles, a schedule, a list of convention participants, a section of ordinances, and an address to the people of Colorado.

GLC08404

circa 1830

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph manuscript

Title: Notes on constitutional separation of powers; Bill of rights

Blue paper. "Constitutions. Legislative --Executive --Judicial" NH, MA, CT, VT" - p.4

GLC00186

1787

Varnum, James M., fl. 1787

Pamphlet

Title: The case of Trevett against Weeden: On Information and Complaint,....

Evans 20825, Kress B1355, Sabin 98638. Original blue/gray wrappers, reinforced (?). Stamp on titlepage of: Rhode Island Historical Society. The legal case tested the powers of the Articles of Confederation to the right of Trial by Jury.

GLC00201

06 April 1836

United States. Congress (24th, 1st session : 1835-1836). House

Printed document

Title: Amend the Constitution of the United States

[Title continued] memorial of citizens of North Carolina, upon the subject of amending the Constitution of the United States.Twenty seven petitioners request: "In case that any State in the Union, either by the Legislature thereof, or by a convention chosen by the people of the same, shall solemnly declare their belief that any act which is or may be passed by both houses of Congress and approved by the President of the United States, is unconstitutional, the said State, by their Legislature or convention, shall make up a case, containing the grounds of their belief of its unconstitutionality…

GLC00267.020

1845

Stewart, Alvan, 1790-1849

Pamphlet

Title: A legal argument before the Supreme Court of the state of New Jersey... for the deliverance of 4,000 persons from bondage.

Delivered at the May term in Trenton, New Jersey. Challenges state laws concerning slavery because they contradict New Jersey's 1844 constitution which abolished slavery. Published by Finch & Weed, New York. Printed by S.W. Benedict.

GLC00267.069

February 13, 1850

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Pamphlet

Title: Message from the President communicating a copy of The Constitution of California

A copy of the first Constitution of California was given to President Zachary Taylor by California Senator William M. Gwin. Articles signed by R. Semple, President of the Convention and Delegate from Benicia. The first Constitution of California was adopted on November 13, 1849. Taylor transmitted the Constitution of California to the United States Senate on February 13, 1850. California wasn't admitted to the Union until September 9, 1850. California currently operates under a constitution adopted in 1879. Senate Ex. Doc 28.

GLC00267.134

1854

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861

Pamphlet

Title: Speech of Hon. S. A. Douglas, of Illinois, in the Senate, January 30, 1853, on the Nebraska Territory.

Printed at the Sentinel Office. Fragile. Bound with string.

GLC00267.156

1856

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861

Pamphlet

Title: Report of the committee on territories, on "A bill to authorize the people of the territory of Kansas to form a constitution and state government...

(title continues)... preparatory to their admission into the Union, when they have the requisite population," etc. Also, the views of the minority of said committee. 34th Congress, 1st Session, Senate. Published by A. O. P. Nicholson, Senate printer. Uncut and unopened. Rep. Com. No. 198. Presented by Senator Stephen Douglas. Minority report presented by Jacob Collamer.

GLC00267.163