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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.

Sherburne, Henry, 1748-1824 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04474 Author/Creator: Sherburne, Henry, 1748-1824 Place Written: Newport, Rhode Island Type: Autograph letter signed Date: January 18, 1790 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; Height: 22 cm, Width: 18.3 cm Order a Copy

Informs Knox that the state legislature will be holding a convention "to determine on, the adopting, or rejecting, the General Government of the United States..." Writes that "[t]his decision gives us the Strongest reason to conclude that the measures and practices of that Set of men which have so long disturbed the Honor and Happiness of a respectable Body of Citizens are at an End, and we have every reason to hope by the Expiration of Two Months from this time, that Congress will have official Information that the State of Rhode Island is convinced of her Errors and will with heart and hand join the General Government." Also asks Knox for a position in the "Revenue Officers for this State," specifically "for the Office of Collector for the Port of Newport."

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Sherburne, Henry, 1748-1824

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