Our Collection

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.

Stanton, Edwin McMasters (1814-1869) to Jeremiah S. Black

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00605 Author/Creator: Stanton, Edwin McMasters (1814-1869) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 October 1856 Pagination: 3 p. + docket 21 x 13 cm Order a Copy

Compliments Black on the address on religious liberty that he gave before the Phrenakosmian Society of Pennsylvania College. Argues with some points of the essay concerning the judgment of history on William Penn, Oliver Cromwell, and St. Francis Xavier. Asks in his postscript, "Who is it that believes in Maria Monk?" (a fictitious woman created by anti-Catholic propagandists). Date from docket. At the time of this letter Black was a justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He became Attorney General of the United States under James Buchanan, and in that position moved Stanton into a position with the national government.

Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869

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