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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 to merchants of Elizabeth Town, New Jersey

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06037 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Letter signed Date: 27 August 1793 Pagination: 1 p. : docket Height: 23.4 cm, Width: 19.3 cm Order a Copy

Written by Jefferson as Secretary of State. Assures merchants of Elizabeth Town, New Jersey that the government will do all it can to protect commerce on the high seas. Says "due attention will be paid to any injuries they may suffer on the high seas, or in foreign countries, contrary to the law of Nations, or to existing treaties." Claims the "just and friendly dispositions" of the belligerent powers in Europe will move them to take effective measures to stop abuses. Hopes merchants will send information to the government. Since there is no specific mercantile group that receives such letters, Jefferson sent this letter to the merchants of Elizabeth Town in the hopes they would disseminate through New Jersey.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

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