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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.

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.03769 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809 Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: January 23, 1788 Pagination: 2 p. : address : docket ; Height: 31.8 cm, Width: 19.3 cm Order a Copy

Reports news of the Massachusetts ratifying convention. Writes, "The Convention are still seting they have now under debate one of the most important articles, that is, the powers of Congress... the Federal party are gaining ground every day, so much so, that the Anti's are much alarmed & talk of proposing an adjournment in order to influence the Country at large against the Constitution..." Notes that Mr. Gerry (possibly Elbridge Gerry) sat in at the convention, and his notes have been published. Because of his description of Judge [Francis] Dana, Dana will not return unless "the Convention justified his conduct..."

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Dana, Francis, 1743-1811
Gerry, Elbridge, 1744-1814

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