1812/06/26

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Printed document signed

Title: An Act concerning Letters of Marque, Prizes & Prize Goods.

Copy of the act along with "Instructions for the Private Armed Vessels of the United States," in this case, issued to privateer Captain George Taylor of the ship Amiable. Issued one week after the declaration of war in the War of 1812. Signed by Monroe as secretary of state.

GLC04616

1808/11/15

Gallatin, Albert, 1761-1849

Printed letter signed

Title: [Instructions on Embargo Act enforcement sent to the port collector of Marblehead, Massachusetts]

Circular from Secretary of the Treasury Gallatin instructing port collectors on how to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807 by regulating the lading of ships.

GLC04621

1881/05/03

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Victor Navarub re: letter of recommendation, exchanges with Mexico must grow

GLC04617

1808/04/22

Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

Letter signed

Title: Petition to Dey of Algiers re: protecting consuls & families (in French)

Signed as American agent and consul general. With other signers from the European powers, written after the Consul of Denmark was thrown into chains by the Dey. The document is a declaration of solidarity protesting Algerian aggression. Also signed by the consuls of Great Britain (H.S. Blanckley), France (Dubois as Chargee for Napoleon), Spain (Alonso Intur[?], Sweden (A. M. Fraissinitt [?]), Denmark (Georg Frederik Ulrich) and Holland ([illegible]).

GLC04659

1798/04/14

Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Earl of Stanhope

Fulton Writes to Stanhope to tell him about how well received his own ideas about canals have been in France, and to convince Stanhope that the British need to adopt his plans as well. Claims that his "small system of canals" will make fortunes for countries that use them, prove vital to trade, and simplify taxation and systems of government. Says he has enclosed two long letters explaining his new system of canals (GLC04661.02 and GLC04661.03). Asks Stanhope to see that the letters are published, so that his ideas can become popular in England.

GLC04661.01

1798/04/10

Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815

Autograph letter

Title: to Earl of Stanhope

Explains to Stanhope the various reasons that his canal system will be so profitable. Argues that it will speed transportation and increase commerce. Says that it will earn an extra 84 million sterling per year for France if they replace their roads with his canals and that the country will need only to tax shipping to make money. Also argues for the freedom of trade, claiming that if each country produces only what it does best this will force them all to trade freely and fairly and even bring an end to all wars. He closes by saying "superior riches is only to be found in home…

GLC04661.02

1798/04/14

Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Earl of Stanhope

Writes that all wars are a waste of money and labor. Improving a country's infrastructure is the best use of these funds and energy, through projects such as his canals. He estimates just how much the canals would save England. Fulton comments: "Manual labor is true riches...There is not true policy but that which tends to multiply the produce of labor and increase the conveniences of life."

GLC04661.03

1817/01/17

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Plumer

Regarding the European feeling that Americans shall "become dangerous members of the Society of Nations." Naval Victories, state of Barbary (fighting the pirates of Barbary and Algiers rather than giving them tribute), enemies everywhere, few friends except Russia. Also mentions subserviency to "Holy Religion, and the Press Gang."

GLC04755

1781, reprint Philadelphia 1807

Map

Title: Plan of the investment and attack of York in Virginia [from Life of Washington]

Plate IX. Shows Yorktown. Published by C. P. Wayne; engraved by Francis Shallus.

GLC04760.02

1871/10/17

Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892

Letter signed

Title: to James W. Patterson re: documents, asking views on the Pacific telegraph

Sending him documents sent to Russians (who were possibly interested in his project), and asking for his thoughts on the telegraph. The document has a large dark liquid stain slightly affecting text.

GLC04731

1808/09/08

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Rush re: railing against narrow, selfish spirit of parties; Napoleon

Also mentions Spain, religion, and the Louisiana Claims.

GLC04756

1776/03/23

Broadside

Title: Rejection of Olive Branch Petition by Congress; lets colonists arm vessels

The document sets regulations for arming vessels for defense and privateering. Printed by John Dunlap.

GLC04771

1781/08/28

Carmichael, William, fl. 1781

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Morris re: conditions in Europe, prospects for treaty, Jay in Spain

GLC04772.02

1774/09/05

United States. Continental Congress.

Broadside

Title: Letter from the General Congress at Philadelphia, September the 5th, 1774, to the People of Great Britain.

This document is a long broadside, printed in four columns and addressed to the people of Great Britain. The broadside says: "Know then, that we consider, and do insist that we are, and ought to be, free as our fellow subjects in Britain, and that no power on earth has a right to take our property from us without our consent." Mentions numerous rights, including trial by jury. Someone has circled misspellings (or variations?) in pencil. (Sothebys suggested that this broadside was printed in Bristol, England. Apparently unrecorded.)

GLC04774

18 July 1781

Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805

Letter signed

Title: to Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de Lafayette

Written by Cornwallis as commander of British forces in the South to Lafayette who commanded American troops in Virginia. Says some of the prisoners settled on for exchange have been sent to Lafayette and that the remainder will be sent on Lafayette's assurance that he will release an equal number of British prisoners and send them to James City Island where the Flag vessels will remain to rescue them. Trusts that Lafayette will keep the newly released prisoners inactive for a reasonable interval until returned British prisoners can be put back into active duty. Separate note written in…

GLC04775

1775/06/12

Gage, Thomas, 1718-1787

Broadside

Title: Proclamation of amnesty in Boston to all but Samuel Adams and John Hancock

Authorship attributed to John Burgoyne. With woodcut royal seal of George III at top. Gage writes: "In this exigency of complicated calamities, I avail myself of the last effort within the bounds of my duty, to spare the effusion; to offer, and I do hereby in his Majesty's name, offer and promise, his most gracious pardon to all persons who shall forthwith lay down their arms, and return to the duties of peaceable subjects, excepting only..., Samuel Adams and John Hancock, whose offences are of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration than that of condign punishment."…

GLC04781

1781/03/09

United States in Congress Assembled. Thomson, Charles

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Nathaniel Greene re: victory at Cowpens, SC

Written as Secretary of Congress.

GLC04848

1796/06/30

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Oliver Ellsworth re: asking advice in interpreting treaty on privateering

Discusses the sale of prizes taken from the British by the French which violates the 24th Article of Jay's Treaty (1794) with Britain.

GLC04875

1787, 1788, 1794/05/21

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Book signed

Title: A Defence of the Constitutions of the government of the United States...[1st ed]

First Edition. Vols. 1-2 issued 1787; vol. 3 issued 1788. Each volume inscribed by Adams to the famous French diplomat Charles M. Talleyrand, who in turn gave them to someone else. In this work, Adams forcibly states the principles on which he perceived the United States to be founded. The book was popular and went through numerous editions. Later, Adams' detractors sought to find in it a hidden desire for a monarchy. In 1788 Adams extended this work by publishing two additional volumes in London. Howes a60. Sabin 233. Evans 20176. DAB 1: 76. USE WITH CARE: volumes have chemical odor;…

GLC04878

February 18, 1778

Penn, John, 1741-1788

Autograph letter

Title: to Theodorick Bland

Written by Penn as North Carolina delegate to Continental Congress and Declaration of Independence signer to Bland as a Colonel of Virginia Calvary. Says nothing has happened other than General Sir William Howe's agreement to exchange prisoners of war. Since General Howe did not purchase clothing for American prisoners of war in Philadelphia he says Congress has resolved not to purchase "any necessaries for his prisoners with us." Says British prisoners will get same treatment as American prisoners. Claims that Howe praised General Washington, but castigated Congress. Washington defended…

GLC04455

1798/07/16

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Letter signed

Title: To: John Rutherford.

Call to convene Senate to receive communication (Quasi-War)-Washington's acceptance of command in the event of war with France.

GLC04468

1811/04/15

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Pierre Paganel re: tragedy of the French Revolution, hopes for liberty

Paganel, author of Essai historique et critique sur la Révolution Française (Paris, 1810), sent a copy of his work to Jefferson, perhaps one of the few copies to survive burning at the hands of Napoleon's censors. Jefferson writes in part: "[t]he perusal of this work has given me new views of the causes of failure in a revolution of which I was a witness in it's early part, & then augured well of it. I had not means afterwards of observing it's progress but the public papers, & their information came thro channels too hostile to claim confidence. An acquaintance with many of the…

GLC04433

1945 July/August

United States. Army. Signal Corps.

Photograph

Title: [Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin at Potsdam]

Signed by Harry Truman and Winston Churchill. Shows "the Big Three" at the Potsdam Conference in Germany. Includes stamp on verso.

GLC04457

1774/10/20

United States. Continental Congress.

Broadside

Title: The Association Agreed with the Grand American Congress... [non-importation]

One of 3 known copies

GLC04489

1776/11/11

Wharton, Thomas, Jr., fl. 1776

Document signed

Title: Warning inhabitants that Howe is turning troops towards Philadelphia

4-line autograph addendum apparenly in Wharon's hand.

GLC04532