27 September 1861

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of John W. Demaine, who had been convicted in the District of Columbia of larceny in August 1856].

Demaine was pardoned near the end of his term because he was young and inexperienced at the time of the commission of the crime and under the influence of older persons and because the jurors who had rendered the verdict against him were recommending it, as well as a number of highly respected citizens. Signed by Abraham Lincoln. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC02777

November 7, 1699

Livingston, William, fl. 1769-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Livingston re: news of William's sons

William writes reiterating his request for Robert to discover any news of the captivity of Andrew Livingston, and his belief that James Livingston might possibly be dead. Docketed on address leaf.

GLC03107.00516

17 December 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: Pardon of David Everett

Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Twelve year old Everett was convicted of stealing a letter from the post office and pardoned by Lincoln due to extreme youth and good conduct.

GLC03437

1 May 1866

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of George W. Hays, who had been convicted in the District of Columbia of larceny in April 1866].

Pardoned by Andrew Johnson after he had been assured by the District Attorney who prosecuted the case that Hays was a proper object of executive clemency. Coutersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC03183

27 December 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of William Fugitt, who in the District of Columbia had been convicted of horse stealing in July 1860].

Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln near the end of his sentence since he was a youth of 17 years at the time of his conviction, he was believed to be a tool of older criminals, and at the petition of citizens. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC03328

8 July 1801

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to port collectors

Circular letter informing port collectors that lists of Americans being detained on British ships are being sent to them. Signed as Secretary of State.

GLC03492

5 July 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Authorization to affix the seal of the United States to Lincoln's proclamation]

Partially printed document authorizes the Secretary of State to affix the seal to Lincoln's proclamation suspending the privilege of habeas corpus and establishing martial law in Kentucky. The proclamation is not present but states in part, " ... Whereas many citizens of the State of Kentucky have joined the forces of the insurgents ... have overborne the civil authorities and made flagrant civil war ... I, Abraham Lincoln ... do therefore hereby require of the military officers in the said state that the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus be effectually suspended within the said State…

GLC03493

1 October 1803

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Printed letter signed

Title: to Collectors of the Customs of the United States

Circular letter discussing certificates issued to protect American seamen from impressment. Also asking for reports on the other "outrages committed by the cruisers of the belligerent powers." Signed as Secretary of State.

GLC03494

March 1860

Medill, William, 1802-1865

Letterbook

Title: Letterpress copybook: [from the Treasury Department]

First Comptroller of the Treasury William Medill's letterbook for the month of March 1860. Letters are copied on tissue paper, the originals in various clerical hands, and those signed originally by Medill. Each has been signed by Medill, with the exception of one letter signed by Chief Clerk William Hemphill Jones. An alphabetical index of addressees is bound in to the front of the book. Addressees include: the secretaries of the U.S. Treasury and Interior; various senators and congressmen; U.S. ambassadors and consuls; U.S. marshals and district attorneys; and clerks in various federal…

GLC03519.01

19 October 1794

Fordham, Stephen, fl. 1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

A soldier's account of his experiences in western Pennsylvania near the end of the Whiskey Rebellion. Tells his wife that that they marched to Bedford, Pennsylvania, where many of the rebels were already being held as prisoners. Expects a trial and hanging soon. Notes the arrival of President George Washington in Bedford. Address leaf has some notes listing supplies.

GLC03111

25 October 1866

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James M. Mason re: Jefferson Davis' imprisonment, his law career in England

Cross-written on p. 1. Benjamin mentions that Pres. Johnson is intimidated by the Radical Republicans from releasing Davis. He mentions his legal career in England and says he saw Slidell in Paris.

GLC03787

25 June 1789

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Delay of execution for Edward Johnson for two weeks].

Signed by Governor of Massachusetts Hancock and countersigned by Secretary of the State John Avery. Johnson was to be hanged for burglary but "humbly supplicated for further time to prepare for death." Suspension of his sentence was granted for two weeks. Paper seal attached.

GLC03792

25 June 1790

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Sentence of four prisoners for attempting to escape confinement].

Countersigned by Judge William Perkins. Sentence of Thomas Port, John Carny, John Payn and Peter Rodgers to lashings for attempted escape. Each of the prisoners plead guilty and received "thirty nine stripes on their naked backs."

GLC03793

17 September 1819

Dorsey, Walter, 1771-1823

Document signed

Title: [Transcript of record in the case of James McCulloch, an insolvent debtor]

Record of the case of McCulloch, a man being held in the Baltimore County jail for not being able to pay his debts. McCulloch agrees to give up any personal possessions to cover the debt. Lists his possessions and his creditors. Details the proceedings of the case. Signed by Dorsey as the Chief Judge of the sixth Judicial District of Maryland and Chief Justice of the Baltimore County Court.

GLC03545.14

7 January 1858

Ewing, Thomas, 1829-1896

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Ewing, Sr.

Writes to his father that he has been very busy with politics. Gives his eyewitness account of the fraudulent Kansas elections of 4 January 1858. "We have warrants for the arrest of illegal voters & for judges of the Election at Kickapoo & Delaware but only caught two - the others fled ... I was at Kickapoo all day Monday, & saw more than I ever heard before of election frauds. Boys 15 years of age voted, men voted two or three times in an hour, about 50 Missourians voted, in all there were not over 450 votes put in, & yet the judges reported at the close of the polls 905…

GLC03598

1863-1864

Various

Book

Title: [Virginia state documents]

One bound volume that includes messages by and reports to Governors John Letcher and William Smith. From a variety of departments including: messages of the Governor, report of the board of visitors of the Virginia Military Institute, report relative to the returns of elections, papers relative to the recent call for enslaved people to build and work on fortifications, report of the editor of public accounts, report of the board of public works, report of the superintendent of the penitentiary, report of purchases of raw materials for the penitentiary, report on public library, the…

GLC03620

January 2, 1912

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation of sentence of Robert Sawyer, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, 10 November 1905]

Sawyer had been convicted of murder on the high seas in the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He was originally sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Taft commuted his sentence so it would expire immediately. No reason was given for commutation. Countersigned by J.A. Fowler as Acting Attorney General. This is a printed document with blanks filled in by hand. Accompanied by red paper seal.

GLC03579.01

February 15, 1936

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Nelson H. Peach, with warrant

Pardon countersigned by Attorney General Homer S. Cummings. Accompanied by the transmittal warrant and the original envelope.

GLC03581

6 March 1656

Stuyvesant, Peter, 1592-1672

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Commission of Captain Frederick de Coninck and Captain Lieutenant Brian Nuton for operations in Westchester] [in Dutch]

Cosigned by Nicasius de Sille, First Counsellor of New Netherland Jan La Montagne, and Secretary of New Netherland Cornelis Van Tienhoven. Details a secret mission to the English town of Westchester to seize criminals, banish the other inhabitants, and burn the town, except for such dwellings that can be used to house troops and those who will care for livestock. Beginning of document is missing. Second page is a draft of page one and is struck. Written from New Amsterdam.

GLC03699

October 1794

Chase, Samuel, 1741-1811

Document signed

Title: [Recommending pardon of Philip Holton for manslaughter].

Recommends pardon of Philip Holton because of his youth, his good character and his peaceable behavior. Written as chief judge of the general court of Maryland.

GLC03727

2 June 1786

Livingston, William, 1723-1790

Manuscript document signed

Title: An Act for defraying sundry Incidental Charges

Appropriations bill signed by New Jersey Governor Livingston and co-signed by Benjamin Van Cleve as Speaker of the Assembly. Lists several persons to be paid or reimbursed. Most of the payments go to members of the Privy Council or the Assembly for attending sessions. There are several payments for the transport of prisoners. Also pays for the room rentals for the council and assembly to meet. Docket says the bill was read three times in both the council and assembly and was passed. Includes a small ribbon in mylar in the folder.

GLC03734

29 June 1854

Young, Brigham, 1801-1877

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas L. Kane

Young writes to Colonel Kane, an abolitionist and friend. Praises his acquaintance with Kane, and Kane's knowledge of the Mormon people. Thanks Kane for his assistance in a legal case, the "May case," noting "...it is no remedy at all, to put a man to death unjustly, and then punish his executioners, but actually makes matters worse." Remarks that President Franklin Pierce has not acted regarding the case, but Young doesn't think the prisoner will be hanged. Thinks Congress should spend more time developing the railroad than deliberating the slavery question: "Whether the principle [of…

GLC03888

17 July 1860

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Jacob Smith for mail tampering].

Pardon is countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Henry Trescot. After serving his sentence, Jacob Smith continued to be imprisoned in Philadelphia for nonpayment of his $500 fine. He was pardoned by Buchanan after this was petitioned by citizens of Dauphin County (where the offenses took place) and by Pennsylvania Senator William Bigler.

GLC03984

1856

Kendall, George W., fl. 1844-1856

Book

Title: Narrative of the Texan Santa Fe expedition....

Fuller title: "Narrative of the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, comprising a description of a tour through Texas, and across the great southwestern prairies, the Camanche and Caygua hunting-grounds, with an account of the sufferings from want of food, losses from hostile Indians, and final capture of the Texans, and their march, as prisoners, to the city of Mexico. With illustrations and a map."

GLC04153

1849-1852

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Header Record

Title: [Collection of John B. Moore letters and a 37-page travel diary] [Decimalized .01- .06]

Covers the first few years of Moore's medical career before joining the army. Medical references, including a cholera epidemic in Laconia, Indiana (1) and diseases and medical treatments in England and Ireland (2, 5, 6). Written from Indiana, New York, and England and Ireland where he traveled as a tourist, with special interest in visiting hospitals. A travel diary describes his trip to England and Ireland in 1851, corresponding with some of his letters. He writes about sightseeing (museums, cathedrals, transportation systems, etc.), mentions Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, notes…

GLC04192