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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.

Stephens, Alexander Hamilton, 1812-1883 to Richard Haldeman

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01219 Author/Creator: Stephens, Alexander Hamilton, 1812-1883 Place Written: Crawfordsville, Georgia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: May 14, 1871 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.7 cm, Width: 26.3 cm Order a Copy

Discusses an upcoming Pennsylvania Democratic Convention with Haldeman, a United States Representative from Harrisburg. Expresses concern regarding issues which might be addressed at the Convention, stating "Is not the most present and absorbing question ever submitted to the people any where whether ours is a Gov't of Laws or bayonetts ... the Democracy then must array itself against Usurpation -- against Centralism -- against Despotism in any shape and form ..."

Haldeman, Richard Jacobs, 1831-1886
Stephens, Alexander Hamilton, 1812-1883

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