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.

Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) to unknown

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 #: GLC02095.02 Author/Creator: Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 31 May 1849 Pagination: 2 p. ; 17.7 x 11.2 cm. Order a Copy

Regrets having to decline attending a meeting: "Consider me always as deeply interested in the cause, but as reluctantly compelled to forego participation in your meeting."

By 1849, Sumner was active in various political causes, including prison and education reform, Free Soil, and abolition.

Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources