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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.

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881 to John M. Forbes

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00655.14 Author/Creator: Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881 Place Written: Washington, District of Columbia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: March 17, 1864 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 26.5 cm, Width: 19.5 cm Order a Copy

James A. Garfield writes to Forbes after he visited and made a speech in Boston. He thanks him for his support. In lieu of an apparently requested copy of the speech he made (for which Garfield states he made no notes), he sends a similar speech (not included) on the confiscation of rebel property. He mentions that "The edition of 30,000 is almost exhausted" and suggests revising it for "publication by the society to which you referred." Letter written on stationery of the House of Representatives. Prior to his election, Garfield had served as an officer in the Union Army.

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881
Forbes, John Murray, 1813-1898

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