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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.

"In Senate Of The United States…The bill from the House of Representatives , entitled 'An act for the admission of the state of Maine into the Union..."

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09376 Author/Creator: Place Written: s.l. Type: Printed document Date: February 3, 1820 Pagination: Order a Copy

"In Senate Of The United States…The bill from the House of Representatives , entitled 'An act for the admission of the state of Maine into the Union,' …being under consideration, …Mr. Thomas proposed to amend the said amendments, by adding… : …in all that tract of country ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes north latitude, excepting only such part thereof as is included in the limits of the state contemplated by this act, there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any state or territory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed…" With manuscript note: "9th Feby this amendt to the amendt is withdrawn - and the Senate will withdraw the amendt to the Maine bill before they send it to this house. MR."

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