5 February 1780

Paine, Robert T., 1731-1814

Autograph document signed

Title: [Legal document pertaining to the confiscation of William Walter's property]

On behalf of the states of Massachusetts, Treat, the state attorney general, writes to the Justices of the Superior Court to argue the case for confiscating a tory's property in Boston. Claims Walter "levied War and Conspired to levy War against the government and People of this Province Colony and State." Describes him as an absentee loyalists whose messuage and land in Boston were confiscated on 20 April 1775 according to "An Act for Confiscating the Estates of certain persons Commonly called absentees." Argues that the property should "accrue to the sole use and benefit of the…

GLC00133

July 3, 1771

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Noble Wimberley Jones

Letter written to Noble Wimberley Jones, Savannah, Ga. The letter discusses foreign affairs. With free frank.

GLC00134

February 6, 1772

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Smith

With free frank on address leaf. Letter includes discussion of the Royal family and mentions situation in London.

GLC00135

April 25, 1794

Clark, Abraham, 1726-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jonathan Dayton

Addressed to Dayton at Elizabethtown. States that the pending non-intercourse bill has gone through the stages and is now ready to be passed by Congress. Encloses a copy of the bill (not present). Comments on how the bill will do in the Senate.

GLC00136

October 28, 1779

Paca, William, 1740-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Homsley

Written by Paca as a state senator in Maryland to Homsley, a resident of Queen Anne County, Maryland. Discusses the market for barley and tries to negotiate a sale with Homsley. Mentions that the enemy's light horse have made an excursion into New Jersey. They have caused mischief with the principle damage being the burning of a courthouse (the town's name is illegible). Says he received a letter from a colonel of militia that says he captured a British colonel and three privates after they had their horses shot from under them.

GLC00138

December 22, 1823

Marshall, John, 1755-1835

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Clay

Briefly mentions a legal issue in Kentucky. Comments at length on Senator Richard M. Johnson's proposal that more than a simple majority of Supreme Court justices must agree in order to declare a law unconstitutional. He disagrees with Johnson's effort to weaken the court's ability to deliberate on the constitutionality of federal laws (which had been established in Marbury v. Madison). In the course of refuting Johnson, he also argues against expanding the size of the Supreme Court.

GLC00141

June 7, 1794

Burr, Aaron, 1756-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Theodosia B. Burr

Writes in a loving manner to his 11 year old daughter about her last letters in which she told him she had a headache and toothache. ". . . too much for one poor little girl to suffer at one time, I am sure . . . you must fight them as well as you can till I come, and then I will engage to keep them at bay." Wonders if she received his last letter as she did not acknowledge its receipt. Asks her to copy what she has translated of Terence (Publius Terentius Afer) into a book in very fair handwriting. Addressed to her in New York and signed "A.B."

GLC00142

June 15, 1798

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Letter signed

Title: to Gorham Parsons

Pickering, Secretary of State, writes to Parsons, a Boston merchant who requested that the United States restore his ship, the Eliza, with her cargo of brandy. Cites the details of the Eliza's case, stating that the vessel was sailing for Gibraltar in 1795 and "was captured by a corsair of Tunis and carried into that place." Refers to a truce between the Dey of Algiers (Baba Hussein) the Bey of Tunis, (Hammuda ibn Ali) and United States Consul to Tunis and Tripoli, Joseph Donaldson, Jr. States that to redeem the vessel, Joel Barlow, United States consul to Algiers, paid 11,885 Spanish…

GLC00143

July 26, 1828

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Thompson

Based on news from Kentucky, Clay predicts to Colonel Thompson that John Quincy Adams will beat Andrew Jackson for Presidency. Four years earlier, Clay, as a Kentucky Senator, had helped Adams defeat Jackson when the Presidential election came before Congress. Clay and Jackson would dislike each other from then on. In this election though, Jackson emerged victorious, even in Clay's state of Kentucky.

GLC00144

30 August 1786

Stone, Thomas, 1743-1787

Autograph document signed

Title: [Promissory note to Thomas Stone]

The recto is written, though not signed, by Thomas Stone (1743-1787). Also signed by Notley and Henry Maddocke, and W. Stone. Certifies that the Maddockes will pay Thomas and Michael J. Stone 2000 pounds of tobacco by the first of October. Discusses a land claim and states that they will owe 14,000 additional pounds of tobacco if the Notleys keep the land on which it was grown. Docketing on verso reads: "Notley Maddocke Henry Maddocke to T Stone & Michl J Stone"; all but the Maddockes' names are written in Thomas Stone's hand.

GLC00147

January 21, 1799

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Wayles Eppes

Written as Vice-President to his son-in-law. Jefferson discusses the Logan incident, in which George Logan, a Philadelphia Quaker, attempted to negotiate differences between the United States and the French Directory on his own initiative (the Logan Act of 1799 made it illegal). Jefferson thinks the Federalists forged documents "to ensnare Logan" in order to pass the act (he later in this letter writes that Logan's "enthusiastic enterprise" prevented war). Jefferson turns to revenue and expenses, which he lists, in order to show that additional army and navy will consume any budget surplus.…

GLC00148

May 24, 1795

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J.T. and D. Sargent, Jr.

Writes his friends a playful letter commenting on his friends' single status, Boston, and their correspondence. Dated in different colored ink "1795." Full date from docket. Written while Adams was serving at the U.S. Embassy at The Hague. The recipients were the brothers John Turner and Daniel Sargent.

GLC00149

1768-1974

Header Record

Title: Collection of twelve documents [Decimalized .01-.12]

GLC00154

July 5, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Letter signed

Title: to New Jersey Convention

The letter announces the Declaration of Independence. Stamps on verso: "Sold by Merchantile Library" [red stamp] "Tomlinson Collection" [purple stamp]. With docket on page 2.

GLC00154.01

January 21, 1783

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Letter

Title: to Robert R. Livingston, re: peace preliminaries [letterpress copy]

Possibly a letterpress retained copy announcing preliminary peace accords between France, Britain, Spain and the United States.

GLC00154.04

August 13, 1768

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Bache

Writes to his son-in-law regarding his inability to succeed in business and blames Bache for causing the future unhappiness and distress of his daughter. Harshly reprimands Bache for his lack of ambition. Says he does not reply often because he has nothing kind to say, but that, now, time has allowed Franklin to calm himself. Hopes that Bache's new business venture is better that its precedents. Adds that if he proves "a good husband and son, you will find in me an affectionate father." Postscript regarding new watch and buckles for Sally.

GLC00154.05

October 13, 1784

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Chaloner

Informs Chaloner that he has drawn on him "in favor of Messrs. H. Solomon and J. Mordecai for one thousand pounds on account of Mr. Church."

GLC00154.06

June 21, 1824

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Letter signed

Title: to Stephen T. Mitchell

Written a few years before his death. Jefferson writes that he has avoided a new paper subscription "from the uncertainty of my living to receive them...." No recipient included on letter.

GLC00154.08

November 10, 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: Forged AES on John Nichols ALS (deserter) re: pardon

With Lincoln note and forged endorsement on verso, (forged signature, per Seth Kaller). Discusses a pardon.

GLC00154.09

April 20, 1798

Napoleon I, 1769-1821

Letter signed

Title: to General Menvu [in French]

Napoleon signs as General in Chief of the armée d'Angleterre (army of England). Written on stationery containing a printed image depicting Liberty enthroned. The words "Republique," "Francaise," "Liberte," and "Egalite" are printed above the depiction of Liberty.

GLC00154.11

30 May 1952

John XXIII, Pope, 1881-1963

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Endorsement of John XXIII written as A. Roncalli] [in Italian]

Roncalli's endorsement is written on verso of a letter signed by Myron Charles Taylor, a United States diplomat. Taylor's typed letter was created 30 May 1952 on Hotel Ritz, Paris stationery. Taylor writes "With reference to our conversation of yesterday concerning a closer union of denominations in the cause of peace, my personal culmination of effort along that line is in the creation of Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell University, which is a limited University of ten thousand students, and is the first example of interfaith cooperation that I am aware of in the sense of this activity. I…

GLC00154.12

1848 ca.

Header Record

Title: [Mexican War letter and map] [Decimalized]

GLC00155

April 4, 1848

Burnett, Wellington Cleveland, 1829-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents

Writes about his enlistment and his promotion to sergeant. Tells his family about his ability to learn the drills faster than anyone in his company and mentions having seen combat. Discusses camp life, rations, and not having a uniform. Mentions the possibility of a promotion to lieutenant. Impression in the upper left-hand corner of an eagle clutching a scroll with a picture of a galleon.

GLC00155.01

1847

M., Murguia, fl. 1847

Map

Title: [Map of the part of the valley of Mexico which has been a field of battle]

Black-inked lithograph map of Mexico with route of armies in brown, blue and green inks. Denotes military travel during August and September of 1847. On back, note by Wellington Cleveland Burnett explaining locations. On front, cardinal directions written in margins by Burnett. Captions written in English, French, and Spanish. Mounted on cardboard backing with frame, mounted size is 40.8 x 46 cm.

GLC00155.02

1775

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Pamphlet

Title: The Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North America, now met in General Congress at Philidelphia, setting forth the causes and the necessity of taking up Arms. The Letter of the Twelve United Colonies by their Delegates ...

Full Title, "The Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North America, now met in General Congress at Philidelphia, setting forth the causes and the necessity of taking up Arms. The Letter of the Twelve United Colonies by their Delegates in Congress to the Inhabitabts of Great Britian, Their Humble Petition to his Majesty, and Their Address to the People of Ireland. Collected together for the Use of Serious Thinking Men, By Lovers of Peace, Read with Candour: Judge with Impartiality." Secretly printed pamphlet co-authored with John Dickinson. 8vo. Bound in full black…

GLC00156