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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.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 [Act of Congress for management of district jails]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04259 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Document signed Date: 3 March 1791 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 23.7 cm, Width: 38.5 cm Order a Copy

Printed document signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State. Signed in type by Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg as Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Adams as Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate, and approved by George Washington as President. Details the results of the third session of Congress held in Philadelphia 6 December 1790. Resolves that each district should have a place and provisions to keep prisoners committed under the authority of the United States. The United States Treasury will pay the reasonable expenses of each district. See also GLC 4675.01, a Jefferson letter dated 15 March 1791, transmitting legislation, including this act.

Muhlenberg, Frederick Augustus Conrad, 1750-1801
Adams, John, 1735-1826
Washington, George, 1732-1799
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

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