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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.

Livingston, James, fl. 1698 to Robert Livingston re: news of Andrew Livingston, Scottish Colonies

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03107.00539 Author/Creator: Livingston, James, fl. 1698 Place Written: Edinburgh, Scotland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1700/01/04 Pagination: 1p. : address : Height: 31.4 cm, Width: 19.6 cm Order a Copy

James Livingston writes to his brother about life in Scotland. He writes that Robert (the son) has arrived at his home, and will be settled once used to the surroundings. James writes that William Livingston's son Andrew was being held captive at the prison at Carthagina in Colombia, where he was "worse treated than their slaves." James also writes of the failings of the Scottish colony at Darien in Panama and the petitioning of King William III to allow a Scottish Parliament to sit in session. Docketed on address leaf.

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