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.

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841 to John Cleves Short

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00632 Author/Creator: Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841 Place Written: Bogota, Colombia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: August 3, 1829 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy

Written after recall by Jackson as U.S. Minister to Colombia. Attacks Andrew Jackson and Simon Bolivar in some detail, and accuses them both of being ruthless men. Worries that Colombia will soon be very unstable, and that with his departure the United States will lack a capable man there during these troubled times. John Quincy Adams appointed Harrison the first Minister to Colombia on May 19, 1828. Harrison did not arrive until February 5, 1829. One month later Jackson replaced Adams as President, and four days into office relieved Harrison of his duties and recalled him to the United States.

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841
Short, John Cleves, 1792-1864
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845
Bolivar, Simon, 1783-1830

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