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.

Rosecrans, William S. (William Starke), 1819-1898 To :Governor Horatio Seymour

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04360.049 Author/Creator: Rosecrans, William S. (William Starke), 1819-1898 Place Written: New York Type: Letter Date: 1868/07/24 Pagination: 6 p. : Order a Copy

The letter details the "problems" of the country under Republican rule including: the impossibility of "Wholesome government in the South under the rule of Negro voters"; and an "undue exaggeration of States Rights" which will destroy national unity and the Republic. He asks that Seymour refuse the Democratic nomination for President. "I beg you to do an act of rare magnanimity only to be expected from a statesman and a patriot. I beg you to decline your nomination and to throw your influence in favor of the candidate for whom we can create a fervor of enthusiasm . . . . ." He adds: "If you run[,] Grant[,] that weak malignant knavish little fellow will be our next president." [Emphasis in the original.]

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources