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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.

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875 to William M. Lawery

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00075 Author/Creator: Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875 Place Written: Nashville, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: November 24, 1856 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.4 cm, Width: 25.5 cm Order a Copy

Noted as private. Andrew Johnson discusses the future path of his political career. He comments on his misgivings about running for office in the spring and summer. He states that he has "all to lose and nothing to make by another canvass of the state," and if he were to "continue in public life...would prefer going to the Senate than to remain where [he is] (Governor of Tennessee)." He believes that the Democrats can carry the state and legislature. Johnson mentions the opposition, Andrew Ewing, among them. He expresses his wish to consult Lawrey and other friends about his course [of action?]. He discusses the failure of a bank and comments on how this will cause a run which would not be a good thing. He mentions that his son Robert left this morning.

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875
Lawery, William M., fl. 1856
Ewing, Andrew, 1813-1864
Johnson, Robert, 1834-1869

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