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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.

Sayre, Stephen, 1736-1818 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.05997 Author/Creator: Sayre, Stephen, 1736-1818 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 16 December 1793 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; Height: 22.5 cm, Width: 19 cm Order a Copy

Claims to have communicated sensitive information to Knox and that he should let President Washington know (specifics not provided). Tells Knox of a master shipbuilder in this city (likely Philadelphia), and that Congress and the president need to know this if they plan to build ships to protect the nation after the outbreak of war in Europe. Recommends "graduate improvements" in a previous communication and assumes Knox is in agreement with him. Notes he knows that a multitude of people will oppose his scheme, but claims this is reason enough for Knox to support him early.

Sayre, Stephen, 1736-1818
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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