30 January 1846

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John MacKay

Written as Captain of Topological Engineers working on the defenses of New York City harbor. Written in a playful manner typical of his other letters to MacKay, a close friend. Lee worries about MacKay's lingering illness and hopes the warm Gulf air may improve his health. He discussed at length a recent snowfall and the festive atmosphere of the city. He comments merrily on the ladies and a sleigh ride down Broadway in a large "omnibus" sled where he offered a woman his seat rather than his lap since, "it would not sound well if repeated in the latitude of Wash[ingto]n that I had been…

GLC03324

30 November 1859

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Col. Samuel Cooper

Written as Colonel. Cooper was Adjutant General. Written two days before John Brown's execution.

GLC03326

7 March 1781

Marion, Francis, 1732-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Saunders

Written by Marion as Brigadier General of militia and a well-known partisan to Saunders as a Royalist Captain in the British Army and commander of the garrison at Georgetown, South Carolina. Marion writes with anger that Captain John Postell was taken prisoner by Saunders. Postell was travelling under a flag of truce to work out details of prisoner exchange. Demands satisfaction and claims he will retaliate against any British prisoners of war. Also expresses dismay that Saunders is treating prisoners harshly. Says Captain Clark was held in circumstances where he could not stand up or stretch…

GLC03332.01

3 March 1781

Ervin, John, fl. 1781

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Saunders

Written by Ervin as a lieutenant colonel in Francis Marion's brigade of partisans to Captain Saunders, a royalist in command of the garrison at Georgetown, South Carolina. Ervin sent this note by Captain James Postell and Lieutenant William Futhey to ask for a prisoner exchange. Postell was subsequently taken prisoner despite the flag of truce because Saunders claimed he was in violation of a parole given him after the American defeat at Charleston in May 1780.

GLC03332.02

27 September 1782

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Franklin

Informs Franklin that Congress has instructed him to try to borrow four million dollars from the French King, and discusses how Franklin might attain it. Says Congress wishes Franklin to assure the King that Americans once shared the "English Prejudice against all things french" but that "by degrees almost every Trace of it has been effaced." Worries the French may reply "the nation which will not help itself does not merit the Aid of others." Tells Franklin to remind them it would be foolish to invest so much in the colonies only to abandon them so close to being successful. Relates how…

GLC03333

28 July 1872

Mosby, John S., 1833-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Turner

Mosby misspells Greeley's name.

GLC03334

17 July 1816

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph document signed

Title: [Check for $50 to William A. Colman drawn on the Bank of Columbia]

Signed by President Madison. Verso signed by Colman noting his receipt of the payment. One bust engraving of James Madison included.

GLC03338.01

6 September 1846

Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794-1876

Letter signed

Title: [In Spanish]

Signed as General and President of Mexico.

GLC03340

9 January 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness about the quarrel he had with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton over the terms of Confederate General Joseph Johnston's surrender in 1865. Sherman suggests that he may have acted wrongly. " ... I do not profess to be infallible, or more than mortal. I have made some fearful mistakes in life which in a retrospect would be corrected, among them in regard to Mr. Stanton." Admits that he felt Stanton was trying to destroy him, " ... because he supposed I was not acting in full harmony on the then policy with the Negros - And failing…

GLC03341.01

4 February 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness recounting information that he has learned about Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. He comments on Stanton's maneuvering to boost General Joseph Hooker and "pull me down." Sherman remarks, "There is one fact that has since come to my Knowledge, which I long suspected, that there existed a Combination to sweep me into oblivion before the War closed." Mentions revising his memoirs to include this information, "I would not have put in the Memoirs any of that, only I thought to have avoided it would have been a confession of Wrong - I…

GLC03341.02

11 February 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness discussing his memoirs. Mentions that although his Memoirs are subject to criticism, he felt he had to express his opinions. Despite the criticisms, he states, " ... I am sure I am not jealous or malicious, and I feel the greatest possible love for my old Comrades in Arms ... " Except General Joseph Hooker, about whom he expresses his feeling that Hooker constantly finds fault in others. Remarks that he does have a high opinion of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton's administration, but that both Stanton and General Henry Halleck…

GLC03341.03

01 July 1881

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881

Book signed

Title: Inaugural Address of James A. Garfield / Mar. 4, 1881 [inscribed to Mrs. Blaine]

Inscribed to Mrs. Blaine by Garfield the day before he was shot by Guiteau.

GLC03558

8 May 1792

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: [An Act for regulating Processes in the Courts of the United States, and providing Compensations for the Officers of the said Courts, and for Jurors and Witnesses]

Printed document signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State. Also signed in type by Jonathan Trumbull as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Henry Lee as President pro tempore of the Senate, and approved by George Washington as President. Decided at the first session of the second Congress held at Philadelphia, 24 October 1791. Establishes regulations for Court processes.

GLC03561

4 October 1859

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Davis

Expresses gratification for the support received in Pennsylvania, the rest of the Union, and the South for his 1860 Democratic presidential bid against Abraham Lincoln. "I am under especial [sic] obligation to you and other friends in Pennsylvania for the energy and zeal with which you have sustained me in the great struggle to maintain the principles of self government. We are sure to achieve a glorious victory just as certain as our cause is just and the people are capable of understanding and defending their rights." Marked private.

GLC03569

28 April 1883

Morgan, John T., fl. 1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to E. D. Goodwin re: his vehement opposition to new tariff

Written as Senator from Alabama. John Tyler Morgan argues against organized labor's support for a high protective tariff.

GLC03577

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

02 January 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

15 February 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

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

16 July 1963

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald, 1917-1963

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Otelia Pendergast re: convicted of violation of section 265

GLC03590

18 February 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document

Title: Proclamation of pardon.

Printing of the 8 December 1863 general pardon of Abraham Lincoln, with William H. Seward's coutersign, and the general orders no 64 of Attorney General Edward Townsend dated february 18 1864 dealing with refugees and rebel deserters.

GLC03591

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

9 April 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tobias Lear

Knox, Secretary of War, transmits the rough draft of a letter (not included) to Edward Telfair, Governor of Georgia. Informs Lear, President George Washington's personal secretary, that the letter is for Washington's inspection.

GLC03593

June 1865 ca.

Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882

Photograph

Title: [Hanging of Henry Wirz]

With pencil notes on verso: "752" and "XXVIII."

GLC03596

1864

United States. Sanitary Commission.

Book

Title: Narrative of privations and sufferings of United States officers & soldiers while prisoners of war in the hands of the Rebel authorities.

Title continues, "Being the Report of a Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the United States Sanitary Commission. With an Appendix, containing the Testimony." Reprints the report of the Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the U.S. Sanitary Commission. Printed by King & Baird Printers, Philadelphia. Includes woodcuts of starving Union POWs, based on photographs. Original printed paper wrapper, as issued.

GLC03597