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.

Fessenden, William Pitt, 1806-1869 to James D. Fessenden

Order a pdf of this item here.

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

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08935 Author/Creator: Fessenden, William Pitt, 1806-1869 Place Written: Washington, District of Columbia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 28, 1854 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

Writes to his son about his opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. Fessenden, who had recently been sworn in as a Maine senator, comments that "The Nebraska outrage occasions great feelings here...It is near pretty well understood that the free states were sold by their leaders in 1850...and they are to be plundered. I see no help for it. If the Southern Whigs stopped the measure in body...there is no longer a national Whig party for me." Earlier in the letter he urges James to stay in his position, which he apparently dislikes and discusses Frank's (possibly Francis, another of his sons) studies.

Fessenden, William Pitt, 1806-1869
Fessenden, James Deering, 1833-1882

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources