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.

Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815 to Henry Knox

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.10229 Author/Creator: Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815 Place Written: Richmond, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 10 May 1791 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; Height: 38.7 cm, Width: 23.7 cm Order a Copy

Encloses a letter from his brother Bradford, who is "much alarmed at the appearance of a rival candidate in the person of [a] mutual friend Harry Jackson." Expresses no wish to sway Knox's opinion, but does ask for his "Opinion of the requisite Qualities of the two Candidates ... conclude that [he] will ... Support the pretensions of the man [he has]... esteemed." Goes on to discuss Patrick Henry and his resignation from the Virginia government since "there is every reason to believe this State will no longer oppose the assumption of their debt, but quietly acquiesce in the funding system." "The great popular Leader" Henry "wished to raise a clamour against the Federal Government and he struck at the assumption but Seeing that he would involve himself in absurdity to continue this opposition, without providing funds to pay the Interest of the State Debt & Seeing that this would strike at the root of his popularity he has wisely retired ... " Stain on the address leaf where the letter was sealed and stamped "R H ION May 10." Watermarked "C Taylor" and with a hunting horn inside a crest with "G R" underneath. "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815
Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809
Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources