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.

Barrington, William Wildman Barrington, 2d Viscount (1717-1793) to Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01450.724.03 Author/Creator: Barrington, William Wildman Barrington, 2d Viscount (1717-1793) Place Written: Donington Park, England Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 9 August 1786 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 24.8 x 18.4 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Lord Barrington to Lord Sydney as British Home Secretary, an office he held 1783-1789. Barrington is enclosing a letter that solicits Sydney's appointment of a Mr. Akers as Chief Justice of the island of St. Vincents (see GLC01450.724.02 for the enclosed letter). Barrington said he wrote Mr. Colton, a friend who had asked Barrington to use his influence with Sydney, saying that he does not solicit or recommend for posts, but that he would forward his letter to Lord Sydney, which he does here.

Barrington was former British Secretary at War during the American Revolution. He also held other high government positions in Britain.

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