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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.

Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 to William S. Holabird

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03390.01 Author/Creator: Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 Place Written: Hartford, Connecticut Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 11 July 1833 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; Height: 32 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

Writes about Democratic party politics in Connecticut. Discusses an article that accuses the members of the Convention of "procuring their own nominations," and of "incapacity and knavery." Welles believes the article was written by Noah A. Phelps but Phelps denies it. "I know his writings as well as I do his countenance, and I will forfeit everything I am worth if he is not the author. Yet he writes me very gravely that he is not - this is only aggravating the insult." Goes on to say these attacks will not benefit the Democratic Party politically. Believes that their is only one man Phelps fears, J. N. Niles, who was postmaster of Hartford at this time. Despite the circumstances, Welles will not run for office, " ... I think, however, I shall persist in refusing to be a candidate ... " Urges Holabird to "Stand your hand."

Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878
Holabird, William S., 1794-1855
Phelps, Noah Amherst, 1788-1872

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