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August 15, 1861
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
to George H. Penfield
Directs Penfield to supply ordnance and cavalry arms by contract to P. B. Fowke's regiment. Penfield had an existing contract to supply the government with ordnance.
GLC00183
September 19, 1796
Washington, George, 1732-1799
Printed Farewell address with autograph note (written on Claypoole's Advertiser)
Printed copy of Washington's farewell address in Claypoole's Advertiser. Washington has added manuscript notes to his copyist for copying: "The letter contained in this Gazette addressed to the People of the United States is to be Recorded -- and in...
GLC00185
05 November 1862
[Presidential pardon of Daniel Barry who, in the District of Columbia in March 1860, had been convicted of arson].
Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because he is an old soldier who has lost a leg in the service of the United States, because he was previously a law-abiding person, because he has served out most of his sentence, and because Judge James Dunlop, who...
GLC00187
20 January 1937
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Second Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Signed by Roosevelt at the end. Address delivered at the Capital, Washington, D.C., 20 January 1937. Stresses the idea of creating a better world through economic morality. Presents progress, not stagnation, as a way to improve the lives of...
GLC00196.01
8 January 1936
[Speech to Democrats]
Signed at the end. References the problems President Andrew Jackson faced during his administration and how he handled them. Talks about letters he has received from families and businesses pledging their support and encouragement for him....
GLC00196.02
21 February 1936
[Broadcast speech for Brotherhood Day]
Press release of Roosevelt's speech which he broadcasted on the evening of 23 February 1936, a day designated as Brotherhood Day by the National Conference of Jews and Christians. Notes that it cannot be released to newspapers until 8PM, 23 February...
GLC00196.04
March 3, 1864
Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873
to Alexander Sankey Latty
Chase, Secretary of the United States Treasury, discusses Judge Latty's recommendation of Mr. Huyck "for a commission in the colored regiment." States he will refer the recommendation to Edwin McMasters Stanton, Secretary of War. Predicts that...
GLC00197
December 6, 1838
Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862
to the Senate of the United States
Instructions for complying with the act of 1 July 1836 concerning a bequest made by James Smithson to the United States government. Asks Congress to attend to properly fulfilling the object of the bequest. Informs that last July the Secretary of...
GLC00198
March 14, 1868
Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870
to J.C. Underwood
Writes to Judge Underwood of the U.S. Circuit Court to confirm his receipt of a summons to testify in the treason trial, '"The United States vs: Jefferson Davis," and agrees to report on the postponed day of the case, 14 April 1868. Lee did not...
GLC00199
September 19, 1816
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
to James Fishback, Lexington, KY
Jefferson denies a statement attributed to him that he had heard atheism discussed by French bishops at a table. Fishback, a Kentucky minister and politician, maintained that "by corruption in religion" all of Europe had "gravitated into atheism."...
GLC00180
16 January 1862
[Presidential pardon of James Keenan Jr. who in July 1859 in the District of Columbia had been convicted of arson]
Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln near the end of his sentence because he was young and inexperienced and the tool of older persons when he committed his crime, and because he had petitioned for it. Countesigned by William H. Seward.
GLC00205
01 October 1873
Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885
[Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the conditional pardon of Joseph Anthony and J.H. Drabing].
GLC00207
30 August 1877
Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893
Authority to affix the seal to pardon of William and Elijah McWhorter. [Decimalized .01-.03]
Includes carte de visite and Signed pass to see counting of electoral college 2/10/1877.
GLC00212
circa December 26, 1863
Order for Daniel Linder
Lincoln proclaimed a pardon possibility for rebellious soldiers December 8, 1863, in his annual message to Congress. Daniel Linder, son of Usher F. Linder, an old friend of Lincoln in Chicago, was freed on Dec. 26, the date assumed for this document...
GLC00213
October 31, 1867
to Fitz-John Porter
Lee provides a brief list of his recollections of the events during the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) 29-30 August 1862 in response to a request from Union General Fitz-John Porter. Union General John Pope refused to take the blame for the defeat...
GLC00214.01
09 May 1938
Pardon of Michele de Robertis (c/s Robert H. Jackson [acting AG])
Convicted of swearing a false affidavit. Reason for pardon not mentioned, but research indicates he received it for turning state's evidence against Al Capone.
GLC00217
December 11, 1881
Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891
to Edgar A. Hamilton
Sherman writes to Reverend Hamilton to eulogize General Hugh Judson Kirkpatrick shortly after his death, praising Kirkpatrick's merits as a soldier and a officer during both peace time and the Civil War. He writes, in part, "I never knew a more...
GLC00223
09 November 1885
Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908
Pardon of J. P. Shonebraker, convicted of robbing a mail coach.
Convicted of robbing a mail coach and its passengers; sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. Pardoned after serving 3 years and 6 months of his prison term due to his frank confession of the crime and his returning of the stolen property, and because of...
GLC00230.01
June 6, 1927
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933
[Presidential pardon to restore Robert E. Hicks' civil rights, convicted 29 May 1903 of mailing abortion-related materials and sentenced to 10 months]
Hicks was convicted of sending "unmailable matter" (i.e., abortion materials, possibly a violation of the Comstock Law) through the mail by the U.S. District Court of Southern New York. He was sentenced to ten months in Kings County Penitentiary...
GLC00230.02
27 February 1869
Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875
Pardon of James Henry Coleman, convicted of assault and battery.
Convicted of assault and battery; sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. Pardoned by recommendation of his fellow employees and close acquaintances of his high character and "upright life" and because he acted out of provocation and fear. (c/s William...
GLC00230.03
29 July 1865
[Presidential pardon of Thomas C. Billups, who had fought for the Confederacy].
Printed document. Countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Hunter.
GLC00230.04
July 28, 1932
to Frederick S. Greene
Advises that there is $6,059,000 available for emergency relief to be used for highway projects in New York State. Informs that the money must be spent by 1 July 1933. Decides that some of the money should be used on the Northern, Grand Central...
GLC00224
October 8, 1859
Unknown
to Mother
One letter from an enslaved man to his mother dated Alexandria, Va., October 8, 1859. Pertains to visiting with his friends at the Widow Bailys' in Faquier [Fauquier County], Virginia. Mentions meeting a young woman that he would like to marry and...
GLC00226
24 November 1860
Hare, Willis V., fl. 1860
Great Sale of Land, Negroes, Corn & Other Property!
Slave sale broadside. The Charleston estate sale was set for 2 January 1861. The sale advertised the estate of the deceased Hamilton Houston, noting that it included "91 likely negroes, some of which are blacksmiths and others carpenters!" Lists...
GLC00227
05 December 1867
[Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal commuting death sentence of Michael Gleason].
GLC00230.05
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