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.

McKinley, William (1843-1901) to Edward Oliver Wolcott

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00655.16 Author/Creator: McKinley, William (1843-1901) Place Written: Canton, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 28 December 1896 Pagination: 1 p. : envelope ; 28 x 14 cm. Order a Copy

Writes to the Colorado senator regarding international bimetallism.
Bimetallism is the use of silver and gold as a standard of currency. McKinley initially favored international bimetallism, but when the British rejected that system, he abandoned it and in 1900 approved the Gold Standard Act. Written on personal stationery. Handwritten letters of McKinley as President or President-elect are rare.

McKinley, William, 1843-1901
Wolcott, Edward Oliver, 1848-1905

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources