May 20, 1776

Whipple, William, 1730-1785

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Langdon

Whipple, a Continental Congressman, discusses the appointment of naval officers with Langdon, Congressman and Continental Naval Agent. Discusses Langdon's suggestion to appoint Captain John Roche, admitting his apprehension that Roche's appointment would "make some uneasiness as there are many Masters of Vessels of good carecter out of employ who perhaps will think themselves neglected." Relates his intention to appoint Captain Thompson (possibly Thomas Thompson) at the first opportunity. Discusses transmitting canvas and guns to Langdon for use in equipping the Continental Navy. Reports that…

GLC00336

09 April 1798

Pamphlet

Title: Instructions to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry

XYZ affair. Evans 34837. Sabin 34865. Disbound with paper wrapper. With date at top in ink: April 9, 1798

GLC00338

15 April 1865

Medill, Joseph, 1823-1899

Newspaper

Title: Chicago tribune. [Vol. 28, no. 280 (April 15, 1865)]

Reports that president Lincoln has been assassinated and that an attempt was made on Secretary Seward's life. Also reports that Jefferson Davis has issued an edict at Danville. Article about reconstruction in Virginia on second page.

GLC00339.03

13 April 1813

Rhea, Jonathan, 1758-1815

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Manumission of a mulatto slave named Benjamin Harkimon (or Harkinson)]

Sends John B. Timberlake, bursar of the frigate United States commanded by Commodore Decatur, an official document freeing thirty-three-year-old Harkimon (or Harkinson), who was aboard the United States, with the stipulation that Harkimon pay $200. Notarized by James Linn, "one of the Masters of the Court of Chancery of the State of New Jersey." Written on the same paper as a letter to Timberlake introducing the document. Contains a red wax seal.

GLC00340

7 February 1826

Armistead, John C., fl. 1826

Document signed

Title: [Legal document giving authorization to sell a slave named Marshall]

Legal document, probably a copy, for the Bruice (or Bruce) family and Mahlon Gibson appointing John C. Armistead as their attorney with the power to sue for and receive any money due them and to sell "a certain Negro man named Marshall" currently in the possession of Major Lawrence Lewis and "to make such Bill of Sale as would be required of us as though we were present." Signed by Eliza, Judith and Jonathan Bruce and Mahlon Gibson. Witnessed by Thomas Smith, Travis Glascock, and John Fleming. Second page is a statement by John C. Armistead claiming that he was appointed with power of…

GLC00341

June 9, 1779

Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Lee, a Continental Congressman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, expresses disgust regarding political affairs to an unknown recipient. States "The demon of avarice, extortion, and fortune making seizes all racks- And now, to get into office is another thing for getting into wealth on public funds and to the public injury- I well know that much of this will in all countries take place in time of war but in America unfortunately at this time, nothing else is attended to." He laments a tax which he worries will fall heavily upon industrious, honest people. Discusses the…

GLC00344

1 October 1785

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Document signed

Title: Instructions to John Lamb to treat with Algiers

Co-signed by Jefferson 11 October 1785 in Paris. Lamb was instructed to confer with Minister Carmichael in Spain, then proceed to Algiers. The Continental Congress sent John Lamb to negotiate with Dey Mohomet of Algiers for the release of 21 Americans held as prisoners and to secure safe passage of American vessels in the Mediterranean. The Dey demanded $3,000 ransom per man, twice as much as he asked of other nations. Lamb returned home in 1789 without securing a treaty. Also written in Paris, France

GLC00345

17 June 1777

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Samuel Chew as a naval captain]

Signed by Continental Congressmen Morris, Thomas Burke, Abraham Clark, Philip Livingston, Henry Marchant, Roger Sherman, and Nicholas Van Dyke, who appoint Samuel Chew as a Captain in the Continental Navy. Instructs Chew to depart immediately for New London, Connecticut, to assume command of the ship Resistance. Relates that Nathan Shaw, a naval agent in New London, will assist Chew in fitting and manning the vessel. Discuss payment and provisions for the vessel's voyage. Instructs Chew to immediately sail with intent to intercept British merchant and transport ships, and "to take, Sink,…

GLC00346

2 April 1796

Wilson, James, 1742-1798

Document signed

Title: [Receipt for salary as U. S. Supreme Court Justice]

Verifies receipt of $875 for a quarter term's salary ending on 31 March 1796. Received of Samuel Meredith, Treasurer of United States.

GLC00348

1867

United States. Congress

Pamphlet

Title: Acts of Congress, general orders, and instructions for the guidance of boards of Registration, in the third military district, (Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.)

Acts of Congressional reconstruction, centering on the registration of freedmen to vote, beginning with two Acts "to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel states," signed in type by Schuyler Colfax and Lafayette Foster; a second Act signed in type by Colfax and B.F. Wade. With supplementary reconstruction acts of Congress passed 19 July 1867. First edition.

GLC00349

1987

Parrish, T. Michael, 1953-?

Book

Title: Confederate Imprints: A bibliography

The first definitive bibliography of Confederate imprints, this formidable reference work will prove indispensable to scholars, libraries, collectors, and bookmen interested in the Civil War era. Completely revising, correcting, and extending the Crandall and Harwell checklists, this work lists 9500 books, pamphlets, broadsides, maps, pictorial prints, and sheet music produced throughout the South during the war, including Texas and all Confederate-held territory in the Trans-Mississippi West. The index of over 200 pages is the most comprehensive of its kind. Holdings of about a thousand…

GLC00350

1870

Alfred Mudge and Son (printers)

Book

Title: The Prince library: a catalogue of the collection of books and manuscripts which formerly belonged to the...

(title continues)... Reverend Thomas Prince, and was by him bequeathed to the old South Church and is now deposited in the public library of the City of Boston. Published by Alfred Mudge & Son printers. Divided in American part, foreign part, and manuscripts (Mather papers, Cotton papers, Cotton and Prince papers, Hinckley papers and appendix, Torrey v. Gardner, and minor manuscripts).

GLC00351

1947

Grolier Club

Book

Title: One hundred influential American books printed before 1900...

(title continues)... Catalogue and addresses. Exhibition at The Grolier Club, April eighteenth-June sixteenth, MCMXLVI. Published by the Grolier Club. Contents include the committee's selections, "America as Frontier," a catalogue of the exhibition, and an index.

GLC00352

1967

Rosenbach, A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf), 1876-1952

Book

Title: Collected catalogues of Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach

GLC00354

1813

M'Carty, William, fl. 1813

Book

Title: The American's guide: Constitutions of the U.S.

Not a first edition. Modern marbled calf binding.

GLC00355

August 1779

United States. Continental Congress.

Pamphlet

Title: Journals of Congress from Monday, August 9th to August 14th 1779

p. 9 misnumbered "10." Stab-stitched as issued.

GLC00356

January 1781

United States. Continental Congress.

Pamphlet

Title: Journals of Congress from January 1st 1780 to January 31st 1780

Stab-stitched as issued.

GLC00357

1857

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861

Pamphlet

Title: Remarks of the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, on Kansas, Utah, and the Dred Scott decision. Delivered at Springfield, Illinois, June 12th, 1857.

Printed at the Daily Times Book and Job Office. "While the power of Congress to repeal the organic act and abolish the Territorial government cannot be denied, the question may arise whether we possess the moral right of exercising the power, after the charter has been granted, and the local government organized under its provisions." Bound in blue marble paper cover.

GLC00358

1808

Gass, Patrick, fl. 1808

Book

Title: Journal of the Voyages and travels of a corps of discovery [Lewis & Clark]

Howes G77, Wagner-Camp 6:2, Graff 1517, Field 595. First English edition. Reprinted from David M'Keehan's Pittsburgh edition.

GLC00359

05 September 1777

Pemberton, James, 1723-1809

Broadside

Title: To the president and Council of Pennsylvania. The remonstrance of the subscribers, freemen, and inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia.

Written by imprisoned pacifist Quakers to express their grievances. They claim their confinement to be unlawful. This is demonstrated by the ninth and tenth sections of the Declaration of Rights, which call for disclosure of accusations along with a speedy trial, and the necessity of a warrant for search and seizure, respectively. Argue that the warrant directing their confinement has been alarming and illegal stretch of power. Lists the names of twenty of the imprisoned men. Evans 15500.

GLC00360

1843

Prescott, William Hickling, 1796-1859

Header Record

Title: History of the Conquest of Mexico

Hill, p. 240, BAL 16340, Sabin 65262. The first American edition, second (corrected) printing. In original publisher's cloth. H. Bradley Martin's copy.

GLC00361

1847

Prescott, William Hickling, 1796-1859

Book

Title: History of the Conquest of Peru

H. Bradley Martin copy.

GLC00362

1812-1817

Woodworth, Samuel, 1784-1842

Book

Title: The War. [Vol. 1-3, no. 1-119 (June 27, 1812-September 6, 1814, February, 1817)]

Published by S. Woodworth & Co., New York, New York. The journal ran from July 1812 to September 1814, and was revived for three issues in February 1817. Signed on the title page by "H W Alamer." Bound volumes of Samuel Woolworth's periodical on the War of 1812, "Being a Faithful Record of the Transactions of the War between the United States of America and their Territories, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Dependencies thereof." Publication was suspended from 1814-1817 due to insufficient subscribers so that few complete copies exist. The second run (Feb…

GLC00363

August 10, 1864

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Stewart Hewit

Grant, commander-in-chief of the United States Army, writes to Hewit (sometimes Hewitt), a surgeon and medical director on his staff. Agrees to help Hewit's son secure an appointment to West Point Military Academy for the following year. Grant speaks of his great respect for Sherman, McPherson and the Atlanta campaign. States that the campaign Hewit has been engaged in "is a remarkable, and to this point, most successful one. Sherman is one of the very few men, if not the only man, who could have conducted it. I have always felt in Sherman and McPherson a confidence that I could put in but…

GLC00364

December 19, 1859

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Galloway

With two postscripts, one initialed. Headed "Private." Introducing John "George" Nicolay (later Lincoln's personal secretary) and describing how he wants the Lincoln-Douglas debates published. In the 1860 presidential election, the debates served as an essential statement of Republican Party principles, especially on the issue of slavery being extended into the territories. Given the importance of the debates, it is unsurprising that Lincoln emphasizes the importance of fidelity in the original speeches: "As they stand there, is precisely the shape I would prefer the publication to be made in…

GLC00365