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.

Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813 to Mr. Fitssimons

Order a pdf of this item here.

A high-resolution version of this object is available for registered users. LOG IN

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07874 Author/Creator: Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1790/02/19 Pagination: 3 p. : docket : Height: 20 cm, Width: 16.4 cm Order a Copy

Regarding funding act of 1790 (supported by Mr. Fitssimons, opposed by Rush). Speaking of "future acts of injustice," Rush remarks that: "Your funding System is to be one of them, and however much it may be gilded by the splendid and imposing names of honourable policy, it will rank hereafter with the murder of the innocent inhabitants of South America by the Spaniards-with the Slavery of the Africans by our Southern States, and with the ravages committed by Great Britain upon prosperty & life in America during the War....They all have left a stain upon our Country & upon human nature. I feel so much hurt at the indignity done by your proposed act to justice & humanity that I now wish I had never consented to any one act of the revolution."

Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources