10 May 1843

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1782-1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John C. Rivis

Written by Missouri Senator Benton. References Rivis's letter of 15 April. Says he is in Kentucky to check out a "Sawing enterprise" he recently purchased. Says he purchased one of Page's circular saws and has set it up on 800 acres of land near Versailles, Kentucky, about halfway between Lexington and Frankfurt. Says 500 acres of the land has the finest timber. Claims that practical men have told him that each acre can get 50,000 to 100,000 feet of lumber. Describes his day working at the mill and says he has "dinner at twelve (with the white part of the work people)." Does not want this to…

GLC02542.22

1 November 1854

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: [Authorization for James Buchanan to conclude a Consular Convention with Great Britian]

President Pierce directs Secretary of State William Learned Marcy to affix the United States seal. Confirms full power for Buchanan, Minister to Great Britain, to conclude a consular convention.

GLC02585

1850

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Pamphlet

Title: Speech of the honorable Daniel Webster, on the Compromise Bill

Speech defending his previous speech on 7 March 1850, during which he had supported the proposed Compromise of 1850. Following his March speech Webster was attacked by many abolitionists as having deserted the North. Here he defends his actions, saying he supports a compromise because it is what is best for the nation, even if it will lead to his personal detriment. Believes that an end to sectionalism is more important than any other issue at hand. Ends his speech: "I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American; and I intend to perform the duties incumbent upon me…

GLC02586

1837-1908

Stafford, Robert H., fl. 1837-1866

Header Record

Title: Robert H. Stafford Collection [Decimalized .01- .98]

Stafford enlisted as a sergeant in the 12th Alabama infantry. Contains letters and newsclippings about the Peninsula Campaign, advance into Maryland, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Early's raid on Washington, D.C. Preliminary inventory included.

GLC02618

circa 1853

Manuscript

Title: Journal of a cruise to China and Japan in the U.S. Sloop Vandalia.

Journal of a sailor under Captain John Pope. The journal describes customs in the ports it visited, mentions meeting Commodore Matthew Perry's flag ship, and provides information on hostilities between American troops and the Japanese military.

GLC02547

6 March 1848

Butler, William Orlando, 1791-1880

Broadside

Title: [Military convention for the provisional suspension of hostilities]

Order No. 18, ratified by William Orlando Butler as Major General Commanding on March 5,1848. Signed by Adjutant Irvin McDowell. Orders a suspension of hostilities following seventeen articles by the Military Convention. The Convention provisions were made at Guadalupe Hidalgo before the treaty ending the war.

GLC02561

1842

Texas Republic

Pamphlet

Title: Treaty between Great Britain and Texas for suppression of slave trade

Streeter Texas 1416. Printed by T. R. Harrison.

GLC02562

February 19, 1841

Spier, R.P., fl. 1841

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph F. Spier re: hard times in city of Houston

A long and excellent description of Texas in 1841. Spier concludes by saying he planned to return home to the US. Written at Galveston

GLC02578

1838

Texas Republic

Manuscript document signed

Title: Republic of Texas, Austin county election results

Listing returns from Austin County for the election of President, Vice President, Senator and Representatives for the Repubic.

GLC02581

1845

Texas Republic

Manuscript document signed

Title: Republic of Texas, Austin county election results re: annexation & constitution

Republic of Texas, Austin County election results on the question of annexation, sent to Edwin Waller as Chief Justice of the county.

GLC02582

22 November 1844

Pillow, Gideon Johnson, 1806-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Andrew Jackson

Concerns the statements of Abbot Lawrence criticizing James Polk's treatment of enslaved people. General Pillow, formerly Polk's law partner, defends Polk. Attests that Polk inherited his enslaved people, treats them well, and has never participated in slave dealing. Relates several accounts of Polk selling enslaved people so they may be with their families. Challenges Lawrence to retract his criticism of Polk.

GLC02605

1834-1900

Header Record

Title: Civil War naval officers: 17 letters & docs [decimalized .01-.17]

[decimalized 02466.01-02466.17]

GLC02466

15 November 1841

Hollins, George N., 1799-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Abel P. Upshur

Recommends W. Palmer to Secretary of the Navy A.P. Upshur. States W. Palmer is "a son of one of [Baltimore's] most respectable families" and that he would be pleased if Palmer were placed under his command.

GLC02466.07

1836-1896

Header Record

Title: Collection of 30 letters and documents by political & civic leaders[decimalized]

GLC02467

20 November 1860

Andrew, John A. (John Albion), 1818-1867

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robinson

To D. or Dr Robinson. Mentions an article by Huntington, and discusses the Personal Liberty Act. Notes that a person whose name is illegible "made a fool of himself on the subject of the Personal LIberty Act. Others are doing the same thing. They are blind leading others scarcely less blind that they are."

GLC02467.01

12 March 1839

Bell, John, 1797-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gales and Seaton

Requests copies from Gales and Seaton, government printers, of some documents of the last session of the House. Informs that he is anxious to see the report of the Secretary of War [Joel Roberts Poinsett] "in answer to a call for information from the House relative to the proper mode in the execution of the treaties with the Choctaw and Chickosa [Chickasaw] Indians." Mentions a Mr. Allen who is suffering from a disease.

GLC02467.03

24 April 1850

Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W. S. Derrick

Sends Smithsonian Institution public communications and requests they be forwarded through the State Department. Expresses thanks for the packages sent through the State Department to the Smithsonian.

GLC02480.11

25 July 1854

Morton, William Thomas Green, 1819-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Josiah Sutherland

Morton, a dentist and physician, writes to lawyer and Congressman Sutherland for the second time requesting information on patents.

GLC02480.16

22 June 1853

Agassiz, Louis, 1807-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Discusses his observations of and desire to obtain specimens of turtle eggs (species unspecified).

GLC02475.01

22 October 1846

Fremont, John Charles, 1813-1890

Autograph letter signed

Title: to E.M. Kerne

Informs Lieutenant Kerne, commander of the district of the Sacramento Valley, that Peter Brennan, this letter's bearer, has authorization to enlist men "in the service of the United States at the rate of twenty five dollars per month." Asks Kerne to give Brennan assistance. Fremont was then engaged in military activities against California, then owned by Mexico.

GLC02475.05

July 13, 1854

Gray, Asa, 1810-1888

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Writes to an unknown bookseller asking if he has copies of Gray's manual of botany available because Mr. Willis, the principal of the Freehold Institute, is not able to obtain a copy. Asks what the selling price is. With small square fragment of blue lined paper with text, possibly cut from another letter. Addressed from Banbridge.

GLC02475.06

17 March 1853

Kane, Elisha Kent, 1820-1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Ticknor

Writes that he has noticed "that you have made no charges against our little party for the host of troublesome commissions connected with my lectures" and considers it "a direct contribution to the object of our Expedition." Offers his thanks.

GLC02475.07

3 September 1857

Walker, William, 1824-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Heiss

Replies to a letter from Major Heiss received 30 July 1857. Instructs Heiss to send Walker's sword as soon as possible, addressed to Walker at the City Hotel. Inquires if Heiss met General Charles Frederick Henningsen on Henningsen's way north. Expresses gratitude to Heiss for not giving his sword to Mr. Lockridge (possibly Colonel Samuel A. Lockridge), who "has proved himself utterly wanting of credit or confidence."

GLC02475.14

18 March 1851

Colt, Samuel, 1814-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ned Dickerson

Requests information from Dickerson, a lawyer, regarding an extension for the Whittier patent. Informs Dickerson that he hopes to schedule his patent suit the following Monday.

GLC02480.02

17 April 1858

Ericsson, John, 1803-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Written by Ericsson as the pioneering naval engineer and inventor to an unknown recipient. Says he has enclosed Mr. Stimpson's letter relative to the broken exhaust valve stem (not included). Says he included it to "show what a capital fellow he is." References an innovation Stimpson made involving a nut and a screw in an engine. Ericsson drew a small picture of the design in the middle of the letter.

GLC02480.05