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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.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 to Rufus King

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.03605 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter Date: 15 July 1787 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 31.3 cm, Width: 20.6 cm Order a Copy

Discusses politics in France, and how American statesmen are being influenced by the structure of government in France. Writes, "The conduct of France in establishing provincial assemblies, is seized with great eagerness by the advocates for the state systems [...] But they do not bring into view the strong cement of the royal authority, supported by two hundred thousand soldiers - The state systems, are the accursed thing which will prevent our being a national character." Declares his support of a strong, centralized government.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
King, Rufus, 1755-1827

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