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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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5 December 1826

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Newspaper

Title: [State of the Union address by John Quincy Adams]

President Adams' State of the Union for 1826 printed in an extra from the National Journal, a Washington, D.C. newspaper.

GLC04419

1860

Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882

Autograph letter

Title: to Abram Wakeman

Marked private. Requests that he call on Abraham Lincoln, her husband, today. Discusses someone referred to only as "E." Remarks "The game of espionage has been going on to a greater extent, than we have imagined - If the Heavens fall E shall never be restored - Nicoli - himself says that E's mind is positively deranged." States that, "I believe, if possible I shall love & venerate my blessed Husband more than ever." Tells Wakeman to burn this note and to report back to her after he sees "this person," possibly again referring to "E." Document is not dated but previous cataloging…

GLC04420

28 August 1790

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Robert Morris as judge of district court in New Jersey]

Countersigned by Thomas Jefferson. The words "By the President" are written in Jefferson's hand. Endorsed on verso by James Kinsey, stating that Robert Morris appeared on 10 September 1790 and took the oath of office as Judge of the district court of New Jersey. On parchment. Faded with ink decay at top. One black and white seated engraving of Washington included.

GLC04421

10 April 1863

Jackson, Thomas J. "Stonewall", 1824-1863

Manuscript

Title: [Account of Jackson's Valley Campaign]

Very detailed account of Jackson's Valley campaign of 1862. Written and signed by Chilton, with later additions in Jackson's own hand. Written at the Head Quarters of the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Bound on top.

GLC04428

1666/05/22

Indian Treaties

Book

Title: Paix accordee par l'Empereur de France aux Iroquois [treaties]

Earliest printed treaty between Indians and a European power. Signed at Quebec on 22 May 1666.

GLC04390

1698

Locke, John, fl. 1690-1698

Book signed

Title: An Historical and Geographical Account of... Pennsylvania / By Gabriel Thomas

With Map. Includes western New Jersey

GLC04391

1758

Book

Title: The grants, concessions, and original constitutions of the province of New-Jersey.

Title continues: "The acts passed during the proprietary governments, and other material transactions before the surrender thereof to Queen Anne. The instrument of surrender, and her formal acceptance thereof. Lord Cornbury's commission and instructions consequent thereon." William Alexander, Lord Stirling's copy; signed on the title page. Compiled by Aaron Leaming and Jacob Spicer. "Printed by W. Bradford, printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty for the province of New-Jersey." Evans 8205.

GLC04392

1860

Taney, Roger Brooke, 1777-1864

Pamphlet

Title: The Dred Scott Decision

A pamphlet containing Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott case, as well as two articles asserting the inferiority of "the negro race." One is an introduction by Van Evrie stating "the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott decision, has defined the relations, and fixed the status of the subordinate race forever-for that decision is in accord with the natural relations of the races, and therefore can never perish. It is based on historical and existing facts, which are indisputable, and it is a necessary, indeed unavoidable inference, from these facts." The other is an essay by Cartwright entitled "…

GLC04393

1786

Pamphlet

Title: Resolves of the General Court of... Massachusetts

Contains messages of Gov. James Bowdoin on Shays' Rebellion and discussion re: appointing representatives to the Constitutional Convention

GLC04395

1794

Coxe, Tench, 1755-1824

Book

Title: A View of the United States in a series of papers...

First edition. Contains papers on commercial policy, American manufactures, cotton industry and conditions in Pennsylvania. Copy owned by Joseph Humphreys Jr. with bookplate of Historical Society of Pa. References: Evans 26829 and Sabin 17307.

GLC04396

1861

Ord, Edward Ortho Cresap, 1818-1883

Book signed

Title: Revised Regulations for the Army of the United States

Signed by Major General Ord on the title page. Published by J.B. Lippincott & Co. at 22 & 24 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia. Published by the authority of the War Department, Simon Cameron Secretary of War. Signed on title page "Major Gen E.O.C. Ord, Comg Cornith, Miss. Do not remove this book from Head Quarters." Divided into 52 chapters on every type of military activity, regulation, and equipment. Some of the chapters deal with: "Military Discipline," Deserters," "Courts-Martial," and "Ordnance Department." Has 3 appendices at the back: "Articles of War," "Extracts from Acts…

GLC04397

[1792]

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Pamphlet

Title: Observations on Paine's Rights of Man, in a series of lectures, by Publicola

Edinburgh edition. First separate printing, originally published in Boston newspaper June-July 1791. Disbound. Attributed to John Quincy Adams by himself (see GLC 958.07)

GLC04398

24 September 1863

Pickett, George Edward, 1825-1875

Document signed

Title: General orders no. 1

General Pickett assumes command of the Department of North Carolina and announces his staff appointments. Sent to Major General William H. C. Whiting, commanding at Wilmington, North Carolina.

GLC04399

1778

Massachusetts Bay Council

Printed document

Title: An Act, For apportioning and assessing a Tax of Two Hundred and Fifty-four THousand, Seven Hundred and Eighteen Pounds, Sixteent Shillings and Eleven Pence, upon the several Towns and other Places in this State, for defraying the public Charge.

Enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of Massachusetts. Breaks down the amount to be raised by county and town. Also enacts many rules for determining tax liability. Copy for Selectmen of Gorham. Printed by Benjamin Edes.

GLC04401

10 April 1786

Ivers, Thomas, ?-1800

Broadside signed

Title: [Massachusetts document assessing a tax]

A copy for the selectmen or assessors of the town of Gorham, Massachusetts. Signed by Thomas Ivers as Treasurer and Receiver-General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Docketed on verso: "Treasurer Warrant for Assessing 1037:19/ March 1786. Select Men or Assessors of Gorham. Rec'd. May 3rd 1786." Associated with the series of burdensome tax laws which led to Shay's Rebellion.

GLC04402

17 July 1798

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Silvanus Bourne

Refers to letter of Bourne's from 10 July 1798. Written to the American General Consul in Amsterdam. Tries to console Bourne about the publication of one letter and the false statements made about the contents of another that made him appear pro-French by Russell (possibly Boston newspaper publisher John Russell). Says the controversy is minor but that the explosive atmosphere in America after the XYZ affair will make it appear worse than it is. Claims the real letter would have been innocuous and the real controversy is the breach of trust of his correspondent. Says letter is short because…

GLC04403

11 February 1862

Rowan, Stephen Clegg, 1805-1890

Letter signed

Title: [Congratulatory address to his men after capturing Elizabeth City, North Carolina]

Congratulating his men on the Union's naval victory and capture of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. During this battle the Union also destroyed what little was left of the Confederate navy, for the time being. Applauds his men's "coolness, gallantry and skill." Commends their "strict observance of the plan of attack, and the steady but onward course of the ships without returning a shot until within 3/4 of a mile of the Fort." Congratulates them for "refraining from trespassing in the slightest degree upon the private property of defenseless people in a defenseless town." Believes "the…

GLC04405

12 October 1864

Lydston, William, fl. 1813-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Forbes

States he was requested by H. P. Brothers to write to Forbes and send his watercolor drawing of the siege of Petersburg which he drew while watching the action that night. Gives a description of the siege and explains what is depicted in his drawing. " ... the cannonading, musketry and shelling lasted a full hour and a half. These shells were above, below all around and about us, but these are familiar scenes and one can trace at night the course of the shell in the air as the lighted fuse leaves a long trail in its course, you see them coming and going, but know not how they are timed, or…

GLC04406.01

28 September 1864

Lydston, William, fl. 1813-1881

Painting

Title: [Watercolor drawing of siege of Petersburg, Virginia]

Watercolor drawing on brown paper. Shows members of the band watching the siege from a distance. The sky is filled with missiles and explosions highlighted in white. See GLC04406.01 for the artist's description of the siege and his drawing.

GLC04406.02

9 April 1865

Broadside

Title: Union Sentinel - Extra

Announces the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox and publishes the correspondence between General Ulysses S. Grant and Lee leading up to the surrender, including the terms and Lee's acceptance.

GLC04407

circa April 1861

Perine, George Edward, 1837-1885

Sketch

Title: [Charcoal illustration of the bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolina]

Depicts the 12-13 April Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. Illustrates cannonballs soaring toward the Fort, which was situated in Charleston Harbor. Reveals firing cannons emerging from windows of the Fort as smoke billows above the building. An American flag remains flying on the roof of the Fort. The outline of a city (possibly Charleston, South Carolina) is evident in the background. Possibly created by an eyewitness, and reveals similarity to other depictions of the battle that were published in Harper's Weekly.

GLC04408