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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.

McKinley, William, 1843-1901 to Edward Oliver Wolcott

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00655.16 Author/Creator: McKinley, William, 1843-1901 Place Written: Canton, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: December 28, 1896 Pagination: 1 p. : envelope Height: 28 cm, Width: 14 cm Order a Copy

William McKinley writes to Colorado senator, Edward Oliver Wolcott, regarding international bimetallism. Bimetallism is the use of silver and gold as a standard of currency. McKinley initially favored international bimetallism, but when the British rejected that system, he abandoned it and in 1900 approved the Gold Standard Act. Letter written on personal stationery. Handwritten letters from McKinley as President or President-elect are rare.

McKinley, William, 1843-1901
Wolcott, Edward Oliver, 1848-1905

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