23 October 1791

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Jefferson

Requests a foreign appointment in Europe. Hopes the sea voyage will restore his health. Remarks that he does not want to deprive James Madison of the post, if he or another qualified person desires it. Hopes Jefferson will recommend him to President Washington. Also discusses shipping and commerce with Britain, relaying information from the debate in the Maryland legislature, of which McHenry was then a member. Docketed by Jefferson

GLC03802

24 June 1880

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Document signed

Title: [Order to Secretary of State to accredit James Longstreet as Minister to Ottoman Empire]

President Hayes orders Secretary of State William M. Evarts "to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to envelope containing letter accrediting James Longstreet as Minister President to the Ottoman Empire." Longstreet, a prominent Confederate General and military advisor to Robert E. Lee, became a Republican after the war, angering the populace of the mostly Democratic South. His allegiance to the Republican Party earned him choice positions of patronage, including the ambassadorship to the Ottoman Empire. He only served for one year in Turkey before returning to America to take…

GLC03843

1797-1820

Varnum, Joseph B., 1751-1821

Header Record

Title: Letters to Varnum re: military & political, Quasi-War, 1812, patronage [Decimalized .01- .22]

See separate inventory.

GLC03845

12 April 1796

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Autograph document signed

Title: [Expense account for Schuyler's work as an Indian agent from 12 April 1795 - 9 November 1795]

Lists monies due from the State of New York to Schuyler, "one of the agents appointed by the Act, intitled, an Act for the better support of the Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga Indians, and for Other purposes therein mentioned." Lists various actions and activities and the associated costs accrued. With a signed endorsement dated 12 April 1796 by the state auditor, Peter T. Curtenius, requesting that the treasurer, Gerard Bancker, pay Schuyler. A signed note by Schuyler indicates that he received payment from Bancker the same day.

GLC03543

2 April 1796

Boudinot, Elias, 1740-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Bayard

Boudinot, director of the United States Mint, transmits Bills of Exchange (not included) to London to pay Bayard for copper imported to the United States. Reports that President George Washington refused to submit papers regarding negotiations with Great Britain to the House of Representatives (possibly referring to John Jay's Treaty). Refers to a recent speech praising Washington delivered by a Mr. Erskin (possibly Thomas Erskine) in London. Forwards a portrait of Washington (not included) for Erskin. Discusses family matters at length. Reports that "the British carrying the War so…

GLC03627

December 29, 1780

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard K. Meade

Lafayette discusses selection of an American envoy being sent to France. Congress had decided to send an envoy extraordinary to France to secure a loan and improve supply shipments. Lafayette tried to help Alexander Hamilton attain this post, but failed. Says that all admitted Hamilton was the "best calculated for this mission," but "he is not very popular" and not a "Southern Man" so he was not chosen by the Congress. Instead John Laurens was selected. Inform his "very good friend" that a French officer will soon be arriving to meet Meade. He is happy to hear from Martha Bland that Meade…

GLC03647

31 August 1815

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Eustis re: treaty of Ghent, Napoleonic wars, and threat of Barbery

Discusses the Treaty of Ghent, Napoleonic Wars, threat of Barbary pirates, and the new Netherlands consititution. Re: the Napoleonic Wars, Adams writes: "France is a conquest, and as a conquest will be treated."

GLC03626

24 November 1791

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Short

Secretary of State Jefferson writes to Short, charge d'affaires to France. Short was in Europe negotiating a commercial treaty with France and handling details of a Dutch loan. Jefferson attempts to answer Short's request for information to quell rumors in France that America and Spain are on the brink of war. Recommends an essay on population by James Madison in the National Gazette be translated and published in France. Spends most of the letter on the slave uprising of Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo representatives went to America to request supplies to continue their revolt, but Jefferson…

GLC03639

19 October 1868

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: Affix seal to ratification of Treaty with China.

This treaty, the Burlingham Treaty of 1868, amended the Reed Treaty of 1858 by allowing free immigration. That flow of people allowed the rapid expansion of western railroads through cheap labor. (Eventually, it also provoked a racial backlash on the west coast.)

GLC03578

1853 to 1875

Header Record

Title: [Correspondence relating to John Cripps and James Gadsden] [Decimalized]

Collection of letters to John Cripps, General Gadsden's Secretary. The set contains 46 letters and 5 miscellaneous envelopes. The collection deals mainly with the state of affairs in Mexico post-Mexican War and wresting power away from Gadsden's enemies in Washington.

GLC03587

22 June 1797

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Document signed

Title: Appointment of Charles C. Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry ministers

Appointment of the three as ministers plenipotentiary to France, countersigned by Secretary of State Pickering. The negotiations resulted in the XYZ affair.

GLC03592

1778

Great Britain. Acts.

Pamphlet

Title: An Act to enable His Majesty to appoint commissioners [negotiate with America]

GLC03562.27

1782

Great Britain. Acts.

Pamphlet

Title: An Act to enable His Majesty to conclude a peace or truce with certain colonies

GLC03562.29

24 December 1814

Great Britain. Treaties.

Pamphlet

Title: A Treaty of peace and Amity [Treaty of Ghent. Official British printing]

Printed by R. G. Clarke. [duplicate of GLC 3985.18]

GLC03562.34

17 August 1863

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Edwin DeLeon

Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of State, writes to DeLeon, a Confederate agent in Paris. Discusses previous correspondence from DeLeon, instructs him to write more often, and orders him "never to give your letters to private hands. Send them by the English mail to Major Norman Walker at Bermuda or to Mr. Heyliger at Nassau and they will reach me in thirty or fourty days without risk or trouble." States "In relation to your remarks about the withdrawal of our Commissioners from Europe, it is only necessary to say that there were other than diplomatic matters entrusted to them, which could…

GLC03563

28 December 1800

Gallais, Francois Michel, 1757-1826

Endorsement signed

Title: [Captain Gallais' observations on American merchant ships engaged in combat with French ships]

Written in French by a Captain Gallais of the corsair La Laure to First Consul of French Republic Napoleon Bonaparte. Translation in collateral file. Gallais is offering his opinion on how the French government should handle American merchant ships that previously engaged in battle with French ships under the new treaty, the Convention of Mortefontaine, which was signed in October 1800. Says treaty is only applicable retroactively to ships with irregularities in their papers, not to ships engaged in combat. Says boarding of American ships and request to hoist the flag is still permitted, and…

GLC03570

04 May 1796

Adams, Thomas B., 1772-1832

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pitcairn re: treaties before Congress, including one with Algiers

Written as American Vice-Consul to France.

GLC03575

1 September 1806

Pike, Zebulon M., 1779-1813

Letter signed

Title: to Grand Pest

Address to Chief Grand Pest of the Osage Indians residing on the Arkansas River, with a French translation on p. 2. Advises Grand Pest "of the approach of the Son of Your Great Father" (Zebulon Pike) and urges him to "Open Your ears to the good council of the Great Warrior...he will put you in the path of wisdom, & never deceive you." The letter was delivered by General James Wilkinson's son, Pike's second in command. General James Wilkinson, the governor of Louisiana, had sent Lieutenant Pike on this mission to pacify the Indians.

GLC03594

22 June 1846

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: to James Boyd re: circular, instructions to US envoys abroad [printed]

Printed letters signed as Secretary of State.

GLC03712

19 April 1861

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Document signed

Title: Appointment of Alexander H. Stephens as agent to treat with Va. (c/s Toombs)

Countersigned by Robert Toombs. Stephens was to negotiate Virginia's joining the Confederacy.

GLC03724

September 11, 1779

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elbridge Gerry

Adams talks about his efforts to persuade France to send reinforcements for D'Estaing's fleet, his discussions with Genêt, his relations with Lee and Franklin, and describing Lafayette's arrival in Paris to plead America's cause.

GLC03726

November 27, 1793

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pinckney

The letter talks about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, negotiations with the Northwest Indians, Citizen Genet, Lafayette, and copper and silver metals for coinage. The federal government moved from Philadelphia to Germantown because of a yellow fever epidemic that lasted through the late summer and autumn. Failure of negotiations with Indian tribes led to the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Jefferson, in his capacity as Secretary of State, had previously requested the recall of Edmond Charles Genêt because of his outrageous behavior as Minister to the United States. In 1792,…

GLC03730

14 May 1784

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Cranch

Written as ambassador at The Hague, Adams discusses waiting for his family to arrive and how walking six or seven miles per day has helped him overcome the "Disorders into which Voyages Journeys and too much application had thrown me." He concludes by mentioning Mr. Tyler, who was involved with courting a woman. Cranch was the husband of Abigail Adam's sister; Adams greets him as "dear brother."

GLC03759

February 1804 - April 1804

Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Diary kept at Algiers re: lodging, business, etc.

Diary kept from February to April.

GLC03767.01

25 September 1777

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bryan Fairfax re: allowing Fairfax to visit to discuss British peace proposal

With a note in a different hand on the address leaf stating "containing a pas[s]port to travel to the camp." Washington also assures Fairfax of his friendship, despite "the difference in our political Sentiments...."

GLC03674