4 July 1798

Dayton, Jonathan, 1760-1824

Autograph letter

Title: to John Adams

Date inferred from Adams' announcement of Washington as commander of Provisional Army on 2 July 1798. Also inferred from his response to this document, which was on 6 July 1798 (GLC 3866.01). Creator inferred from handwriting of Jonathan Dayton. New Jersey branch of Society of Cincinnati expresses "our entire satisfaction with his Administration of the Government, & in particular as it relates to the injuries & insults which have been received from the French Republic." Asserts that America needs be vigilant to defend its independence.

GLC03866.02

25 June 1789

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Delay of execution for Edward Johnson for two weeks].

Signed by Governor of Massachusetts Hancock and countersigned by Secretary of the State John Avery. Johnson was to be hanged for burglary but "humbly supplicated for further time to prepare for death." Suspension of his sentence was granted for two weeks. Paper seal attached.

GLC03792

25 June 1790

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Sentence of four prisoners for attempting to escape confinement].

Countersigned by Judge William Perkins. Sentence of Thomas Port, John Carny, John Payn and Peter Rodgers to lashings for attempted escape. Each of the prisoners plead guilty and received "thirty nine stripes on their naked backs."

GLC03793

8 May 1792

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Printed document signed

Title: An Act making certain Appropriations therein specified.

Act of Congress appropriating $34,497.90 to pay off various debts. The money is to come from either the Treasury or last year's surplus. Also sets aside funds for raising a regiment, and conducting foreign affairs.

GLC03813

4 December 1797

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Nicholson

Discusses a plan to be able to pay off his debts. Sends "a piece of cold comfort for poor Charles Young" (a document not included) with the comment that it "is the best that my poor tortured brain could spin out this Night." Asks Nicholson to sign it if he approves or write another if he does not. The document and proposed plan are assumed to have concerned paying his debts. Written a few weeks before being thrown into debtors prison.

GLC03842

1797-1820

Varnum, Joseph B., 1751-1821

Header Record

Title: Letters to Varnum re: military & political, Quasi-War, 1812, patronage [Decimalized .01- .22]

See separate inventory.

GLC03845

12 June 1789

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Cotton Tufts re: political matters: state debts, excise bill

Written as Vice President. In closing, Adams writes "[t]he Note inclosed in your Letter I burned as you directed as soon as I had read it: but not untill it had made too deep an Impression on my heart as well as Memory. -- What shall I do, with that tender hearted Fool?" Adams closes: "When will Mrs. A. come on? I suffer, very much for want of her assistance."

GLC03861

12 April 1796

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Autograph document signed

Title: [Expense account for Schuyler's work as an Indian agent from 12 April 1795 - 9 November 1795]

Lists monies due from the State of New York to Schuyler, "one of the agents appointed by the Act, intitled, an Act for the better support of the Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga Indians, and for Other purposes therein mentioned." Lists various actions and activities and the associated costs accrued. With a signed endorsement dated 12 April 1796 by the state auditor, Peter T. Curtenius, requesting that the treasurer, Gerard Bancker, pay Schuyler. A signed note by Schuyler indicates that he received payment from Bancker the same day.

GLC03543

2 April 1796

Boudinot, Elias, 1740-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Bayard

Boudinot, director of the United States Mint, transmits Bills of Exchange (not included) to London to pay Bayard for copper imported to the United States. Reports that President George Washington refused to submit papers regarding negotiations with Great Britain to the House of Representatives (possibly referring to John Jay's Treaty). Refers to a recent speech praising Washington delivered by a Mr. Erskin (possibly Thomas Erskine) in London. Forwards a portrait of Washington (not included) for Erskin. Discusses family matters at length. Reports that "the British carrying the War so…

GLC03627

September 1789

Rhode Island

Broadside

Title: An Act relative to a convention ratifying the Constitution

John Carter imprint.

GLC03609

21 December 1791

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Letter signed

Title: to the President and Directors of Bank of the United States

As Secretary of Treasury, Hamilton requests that the President and Directors of the Bank of the United States furnish the Collectors of Import and Tonnage throughout the United States with the signatures of the President and Cashier. This will enable them to detect counterfeits in cash notes of the Bank of the United States. Hamilton also mentions the payment details arranged with the Collectors of the District of Philadelphia, the city where the Bank was based.

GLC03613

24 November 1791

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Short

Secretary of State Jefferson writes to Short, charge d'affaires to France. Short was in Europe negotiating a commercial treaty with France and handling details of a Dutch loan. Jefferson attempts to answer Short's request for information to quell rumors in France that America and Spain are on the brink of war. Recommends an essay on population by James Madison in the National Gazette be translated and published in France. Spends most of the letter on the slave uprising of Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo representatives went to America to request supplies to continue their revolt, but Jefferson…

GLC03639

14 July 1798

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Eppes

Writes with fatherly concern to his daughter that he has learned of her illness and hopes that she is recovering. Advises that though he is anxious to see her, she should only travel if she is strong enough. Mentions that his eyes have been very sore for a few days but are better now. This delayed the men working on the roof of Monticello and he is anxious to have it done.

GLC03640

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

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

28 December 1800

Gallais, Francois Michel, 1757-1826

Endorsement signed

Title: [Captain Gallais' observations on American merchant ships engaged in combat with French ships]

Written in French by a Captain Gallais of the corsair La Laure to First Consul of French Republic Napoleon Bonaparte. Translation in collateral file. Gallais is offering his opinion on how the French government should handle American merchant ships that previously engaged in battle with French ships under the new treaty, the Convention of Mortefontaine, which was signed in October 1800. Says treaty is only applicable retroactively to ships with irregularities in their papers, not to ships engaged in combat. Says boarding of American ships and request to hoist the flag is still permitted, and…

GLC03570

04 May 1796

Adams, Thomas B., 1772-1832

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pitcairn re: treaties before Congress, including one with Algiers

Written as American Vice-Consul to France.

GLC03575

1 June 1796

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Printed document signed

Title: Fourth Congress of the United States: at the first session, begun and held at the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the seventh of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five.

Signed by Pickering, Secretary of State. Includes "an act regulating the grants of land appropriated for military services, and for the society of the United Brethren for propagating the gospel among the heathen," "an act for the admission of the state of Tennessee into the union," "an act limiting the time for the allowance of drawback on the exportation of domestic spirits, and allowing a drawback upon such spirits exported in vessels of less than thirty tons, by the Mississippi," "an act to suspend, in part, the act, intituled 'An act to alter and amend the act, intituled 'An act laying…

GLC03698

6 September 1796

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Mifflin

Discusses the issue of Connecticut claimants to the Western Reserve lands taking refuge from Pennsylvania authorities by entering New York State. Expresses his opinion that the states have relations between them far more intimate than those between separate nations. Believes that new laws are necessary to handle the relations and that laws already in place do not properly address the issue of the intruders. Informs that the Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman, will return soon and Jay will turn this problem over to him.

GLC03710

October 1794

Chase, Samuel, 1741-1811

Document signed

Title: [Recommending pardon of Philip Holton for manslaughter].

Recommends pardon of Philip Holton because of his youth, his good character and his peaceable behavior. Written as chief judge of the general court of Maryland.

GLC03727

November 27, 1793

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pinckney

The letter talks about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, negotiations with the Northwest Indians, Citizen Genet, Lafayette, and copper and silver metals for coinage. The federal government moved from Philadelphia to Germantown because of a yellow fever epidemic that lasted through the late summer and autumn. Failure of negotiations with Indian tribes led to the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Jefferson, in his capacity as Secretary of State, had previously requested the recall of Edmond Charles Genêt because of his outrageous behavior as Minister to the United States. In 1792,…

GLC03730

6 August 1797

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Brant

Introduces his son, Thomas Morris, and asks Brant to help negotiate the purchase of land owned by the Seneca Indians

GLC03731

23 May 1794

Williams, William, 1731-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Trumbull

Opposes the repeal of a statute which allocates proceeds from Connecticut's land sales in the Western Reserve for the support of religious ministers. Williams was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. At the time of this letter he was County Court Judge of Windham, Connecticut.

GLC03733

1790

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Pamphlet

Title: Report... on... establishing a uniformity in... weights and measures

Full title: "Report of the Secretary of State, on the subject of establishing a uniformity in the weights, measures, and coins of the United States." Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine. Jefferson's report on standardizing weights, measures and coins. This report is a primary document in the establishment of the federal government and in the implementation of Jefferson's ideas concerning science and government. Politically the report would bind the nation together as a unit with similar measures, and inventions would be encouraged by uniformity in standards. Jefferson also felt…

GLC03756