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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.

Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884. History and evidence of the passage of Abraham Lincoln from Harrisburg, Pa. to Washington, D. C. on the 22d and 23d of February, 1861

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00267.276 Author/Creator: Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884. Place Written: New York, New York Type: Pamphlet Date: 1906 Pagination: 42 p. ; 24.5 x 16.5 cm. Order a Copy

Documents the attempted assassination of then President-elect Abraham Lincoln on his way to his inauguration. Written in response to a published letter by John A. Kennedy, who claimed, along with his detective force, the responsibility of discovering the plot and stated "I know nothing of any connection of Mr. Pinkerton with the matter." Pinkerton explains this with "In this respect, Mr. Kennedy spoke the truth: he did not know of my connection with the passage of Mr. Lincoln, nor was it my intention that he should know of it. Secrecy is the one thing most neccessary to the success of the detective, and when a secret is to be kept, the fewer who know of it the better." Includes statements from Lincoln and letters to Pinkerton from officials concerning the event. Black cover with gold stamped lettering on the front cover. Front cover includes note "Compliments of Wm. A. Pinkerton/Robt. A. Pinkerton" in the lower left corner. Sewn binding.

Pinkerton was a detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton Agency, the first detective agency. Kennedy was the Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police of New York City. Felton was the Superintendent of the Fitchburg Railroad and President of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. Following the Civil War, he was also President of the Pennsylvania Steel Company. Webster was recognized as Allan Pinkerton's most famous active agent in the Civil War. Judd was a Republican Representative of Illinois who served from 1867-1870 and a friend of Lincoln.

Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Kennedy, John Alexander, 1803-1873
Felton, Samuel Morse, 1809-1889
Webster, Timothy, 1822-1862
Judd, Norman Buel, 1815-1878

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