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Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841 to C. W. Hanson

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07732.01 Author/Creator: Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841 Place Written: North Bend, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 21, 1839 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 24.5 cm, Width: 19.3 cm Order a Copy

Writes briefly of their correspondence and paying a bill for "spring wheat" he purchased. Discusses his candidacy for president in the 1840 election. Mentions Henry Clay, who was a candidate for the Whig nomination, and says he was informed there are many states where the votes would be given to him instead of Clay, including Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. The Whigs ended up nominated Harrison over Clay. On the issue of slavery he writes, "...the Louisville Journal declares that if I were the only candidate opposed to VB [Martin Van Buren], I would receive the vote of no slave state in the Union but Kentucky... [an abolitionist] ...proposed a question to draw me out of the subject of slavery...my opinions on the unconstitutionality of the interference of citizens of the slaveholding states." Comments that Hanson's handwriting has improved. A piece of the letter is missing on from the lower right corner of the first page causing some text loss on the first and second pages.

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841
Hanson, C.W., fl. 1839

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