Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.

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27 September 1830

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de (1757-1834)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wiliam Wilberforce [in French]

Inquiries on the slave trade in France & America. Alludes to Wilberforce's attempts to have Lafayette freed from prison. Docket is in English, in Wilberforce's hand. Letter has been transcribed in English. Wilberforce as the recipient is confirmed by the content of the letter and the handwriting of the docket.

GLC04802

circa 1830-1840

Unknown

Broadside

Title: Views of slavery

Abolitionist broadside with six images depicting kidnapping, torture, auction, and labor of slaves. With Channing quotation, "Our laws know no higher crime than that of reducing a man to slavery. To steal or to buy an African on his own shores is a piracy." Lithograph drawings.

GLC06477

14 August 1830

Burritt, Ann W. (fl. 1830)

Broadside

Title: Mrs. Burritt's defence of her husband; first published in the Southern recorder, Milledgeville, Geo. August 14, 1830.

Elijah Burritt's former partner, John G. Polhill, had charged that Burritt had distributed incendiary pamphlets written by African-American abolitionist David Walker. In this open letter to the editors, his wife states that her husband only sold the abolitionist pamphlets privately to known slaveholders, accompanying his sale with suitable cautions. She adds that he fled Millidgeville because his defense was not being heard in the heat of passion aroused by Polhill, who was stating that the case would not be bailable. The editors of the paper were Seaton Grantland and Richard M.

GLC00246.03

19 May 1831

Clay, Henry (1777-1852)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Switzer

Written from Ashland, Clay's estate, to Switzer at Union Bridge, Frederick County, Maryland. Replying to a request from Switzer, Senator Clay discusses his opinions on colonization and slavery. Refers Switzer to an address he gave to the Colonization Society of Kentucky in 1829. Argues for leaving the decision of emancipation up to individual states. Attests that slavery can only be justified in America by necessity, if at all, and that Congress has no power to establish a system of emancipation.

GLC03725

24 May 1831

Stephen, James (1758-1832)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Complains about the control of the British press and the shameless reporters. Includes information about a paper he is writing embracing Lord Comblimere's case, starting with the address of 40 Planters to the People of England and the groundlessness of slavery.

Excerpt: "I shall be glad to receive the W.I. [West Indies] article you mention but it is hopeless to carry on a warfare of that kind with men who are shameless, reckless, & have almost every London newspaper at their command by corrupt means while we can answer them only by pamphlets or volumes."

GLC00496.230

10 September 1831

Ives, William B. (fl. 1800-1831)

Newspaper

Title: Salem observer. [Vol. 9, no. 37 (September 10, 1831)]

Includes a brief description of the aftermath of Nat Turner's Rebellion: "...the insurgents are all taken and killed, except Nat Turner, the leader, after whom there is a warm pursuit... the troops will be discharged shortly... the number of prisoners amounts to fifty-eight." Sixty whites, and as many as 100 blacks, were killed during the rampage. Turner was capture, tried, convicted and executed. Ives was an abolitionist. Among the other reports: John Quincy Adams's eulogy on James Monroe, and commentary on the upcoming presidential election.

GLC08430.01

1832

Faulkner, Charles James (1847-1929)

Pamphlet

Title: The speech of Charles Jas. Faulkner (of Berkeley) in the House of Delegates of Virginia, on the policy of the state with respect to her slave population: Delivered January 20, 1832.

Printed by Thomas W. White. Faulkner states, "... the evils of slavery stand confessed before us. The only question with a Virginia statesman, should be-- is there any remedy and what shall that remedy be?... although I am decidedly in favor of some scheme of manumission that will ultimately relieve my country from the catastrophe which threatens it, let no gentleman suppose, from what has fallen from me, that I am in favor of any rash, violent, or hasty legislation." Bound with string.

GLC05829

1832

Faulkner, Charles James (1847-1929)

Pamphlet

Title: The speech of Charles Jas. Faulkner, (of Berkley) in the House of Delegates of Virginia, on the policy of the state with respect to her slave population

Faulkner's speech explaining the resolution he had recently proposed to gradually emancipate the slaves of Virginia. States that emancipation will benefit the state, and that it is inevitable, so should be accepted sooner rather than later. Believes that the majority of the population is opposed to slavery, and that it is an evil, and should be abolished. Of abolition says: "The people demand it. Their security requires it.

GLC03520

1832/01/21

Randolph, Thomas J.

Pamphlet

Title: Speech...House of Delegates of Virginia, on the abolition of slavery

Second edition. Argues the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 was unconstitiutional in Ohio due to Northwest ordinance.

GLC07035

17 March 1832

Macaulay, Zachary (1768-1838)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Discusses unity in matters of the Anti-Slavery Committee.

GLC00496.191

9 May 1832

Wilberforce, William (1759-1833)

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Wilberforce, a British abolitionist, writes from the Brighstone (Brixton) Rectory (possibly while his son Samuel served as vicar there). Recommends Mr. Stephen, a relative and friend (likely his brother-in-law James Stephen), to serve as chairman of an unspecified organization (possibly the Anti-Slavery Society). Notes Stephen's "abhorrence of the Slave trade and Slavery." Mentions other members of the Society, including Mr. Buxton and Dr. Lushington (possibly Thomas F. Buxton and Stephen Lushington, both reformers and abolitionists).

GLC00496.251

22 August 1832

Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron (1800-1859)

Autograph note signed

Title: to unknown

Apologizes for being unable to attend an introduction to Samuel Taylor Coleridge arranged by the note's recipient.

GLC00496.190

1833

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor (1772-1834)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Discusses anti-slavery legislation and Pringle's Anti-Slavery Society.

GLC00496.147

1833

Child, Lydia Maria Francis (1802-1880)

Book signed

Title: An Appeal in the Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans

First book of American abolitionist movement; inscribed in pencil with respects of "the author" to J. J. Dixwell. Exlibris stamp of Meadville Theological School on top, with duplicate sold stamp. Includes engravings.

GLC06867

1833

Garrison, William Lloyd (1805-1879)

Magazine

Title: The Abolitionist

Volume 1, numbers 1 - 11 of a monthly magazine advocating the abolition of slavery. The eleven issues are bound together in one book. Includes articles from numerous sources on emancipation, colonization and many other evangelical and slavery related subjects. Also includes excerpts from John Quincy Adams' speeches. Garrison was the principal editor of the magazine. Published by the New England Anti-Slavery Society.

GLC08844

5 Jaunuary-28 December 1833

Garrison, William Lloyd (1805-1879)

Newspaper

Title: The Liberator [Vol. 3 No. 1 - Vol. 3 No. 52 (January 5, 1833-December 28, 1833)]

One bound volume of The Liberator containing issues from January 5, 1833 - December 28, 1833. Volume contains a years worth of issues. The issues contain poems, current events and abolition news.

GLC09791.35

14 May 1833

Banim, John (1798-1842)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pringle

Introduces Henry Morton.

GLC00496.128

1834

Grosvenor, Cyrus Pitt (1792-1879)

Pamphlet

Title: Address before the Anti-Slavery Society of Salem and the vicinity in the south meeting-house, in Salem, February 24, 1834.

An attack on slaveholders. "We at the North work for our own support, with no dishonor and with essential benefit to ourselves...; and the gentlemen of the South need not think it too much to go and do likewise. If they are ashamed of labor... we may be ashamed of them." First edition. Printed by W & S. B. Ives Observer Press.

GLC00267.011

24 April 1834

Whittier, John Greenleaf (1807-1892)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel J. May

Whittier writes to May, an ardent abolitionist: "Until connected with the Cause of Anti-Slavery I never knew what friendship was... engaged in this holy cause of Truth & Love, I have found high & pure hearts beating in perfect unison... No matter what may be our creed- whether we follow Socinius or Fox, or Calvin,- we are all brethren." Discusses the engagement of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison to Helen Eliza Benson: "It will quiet the fears of some of our good Colonisationists that our friend G.

GLC05720

23 June 1834

Williams, Henry (fl. 1834)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Arthur Waring

An appeal by Williams, on behalf of "the Colourd Citizens of N.Y.," to "the good Colourd Citizens of Washington" for help "in the great and noble under taking to save our paper the Liberator." Explains that the paper is $1,000 in debt, which must be "raised by Coloured Citizens of the U.S. by the middle of July." Implores them to contribute. In a postscript, he asks for a response in a week.

GLC08947

1835

Battey, Joel (ca. b. 1790)

Pamphlet signed

Title: Address of the Starksborough and Lincoln anti-slavery society to the public.

First edition, presented to Kimball 8 November 1834. Printed by Knapp and Jewett. In faded orange wrappers as issued. With printed constitution of the Society inside rear wrapper. Kimball signed outer cover. A note written on title page indicates this pamphlet was presented to Kimball by Joel Battey, secretary of the society.

GLC06137

1835

Thomas, William (d. 1836?)

Book signed

Title: The enemies of the Constitution discovered; or, an inquiry into the origin and tendency of popular violence...

(title continues)... containing a complete and circumstantial account of the unlawful proceedings at the City of Utica, October 21st, 1835; the dispersion of the State Anti-Slavery Convention by the agitators, the destruction of a democratic press and of the causes which led thereto. Together with a concise treatise on the practice of the court of His Honor Judge Lynch. Accompanied with numerous highly interesting and important documents. Published by Leavitt, Lord, & Co.

GLC06232.04

1835

Pamphlet

Title: The Anti-Slavery Record, Vol. 1

Six issues of The Anti-Slavery Record published by the American Anti-Slavery Society, each bearing a dramatic woodcut illustrating the horrors visited upon slaves. 12 pages each.
Includes: No. 6 - June, No. 7 - July, No. 9 - September (2nd edition), No. 10 - October (2nd edition), No. 11 - November (2nd edition), No. 12 - December (1st edition).

GLC09232

30 Jaunary 1835

Lovejoy, Elijah P. (Elijah Parish) (1802-1837)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Mason Peck

Lovejoy, an abolitionist, writes to Peck, a reverend in St. Louis. Requests Peck to stop sending copies of the "Pioneer," a paper containing criticism of Lovejoy. Docket is faded.

GLC02448.08

July 1835

American Anti-Slavery Society

Pamphlet

Title: The Anti-Slavery Record. Vol 1, no. 7.

Published by the American Anti-Slavery Society, printed by S. W. Benedict & Co. With images of a schoolhouse and slave children being whipped, asks, "Which of these systems of education shall we hand down to posterity."

GLC09083

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