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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.

Adams, John, 1735-1826 to the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03866.01 Author/Creator: Adams, John, 1735-1826 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Letter signed Date: 6 July 1798 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; Height: 25 cm, Width: 21.4 cm Order a Copy

President Adams expresses gratitude for the New Jersey Cincinnati's memorial of support as the country faces imminent war with France. On July 4th Adams had announced his appointment of George Washington ("that renowned, Veteran, and beloved Chief") as commander-in-chief of the army being raised to defend the country. Federalist fear of internal dissent (alluded to here as "intestine divisions") led to the passage of the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts in the midst of the crisis.

Adams, John, 1735-1826
Washington, George, 1732-1799

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