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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.

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804 to Sharpe Delaney

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09063 Author/Creator: Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804 Place Written: s.l. Type: Letter signed Date: 2 October 1789 Pagination: 3 p. : Order a Copy

"As in the first establishment of Revenue systems, imperfections and inconveniencies will naturally present themselves in practice, which could not have been foreseen in their formation; it is of the greatest moment, that the best information should be collected for the use of the Government as to the operation of those which may have been adopted... Though the complaints of the Merchants will not always be infallible indications of defects, yet they will always merit attention, and when they occur, I should be glad to be particularly informed of them...It has been very much apprehended that the number of Ports in several of the States would conduce to great evasions of the duties. It is my wish to be informed how far experience has justified this apprehension..."

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