Our Collection

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.

Monroe, James, 1758-1831 to unknown

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00496.071 Author/Creator: Monroe, James, 1758-1831 Place Written: Oak Hill, Loudoun County, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: June 5, 1820 Pagination: 2 p. ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Possibly written to President Monroe's lawyer. Involves a financial claim Mr. Coffin held against Monroe, who disparagingly refers to Coffin as a "adventurer, without talents, & therefore an impostor." Monroe paid Coffin $35 for four busts, but Coffin claims to be owed more. Because Monroe is president, he feels it best to settle with Coffin, and calls going before a magistrate a "last course." Monroe sends a check for the amount of the claim, giving his correspondent authority to settle the matter, and asks that it be done without altercation.

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources