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.

Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817 to Henry Knox

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04585 Author/Creator: Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 April 1790 Pagination: 2 p. ; 19.8 x 16 cm. Order a Copy

Signed in text. Note left for Knox as he was not home when Bourne came to call. States that he wanted to discuss with Knox about "when the foreign arrangments [sic] will take place..." Asks Knox to speak to the President, George Washington, on his behalf regarding his candidacy for a position abroad in the public agency. Date previously inferred, added later in pencil. See GLC02437.04587 for Knox's response to Bourne's letter.

Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources