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.

Lincoln, Benjamin (1733-1810) [Remarks on the disfranchisement of the Massachusetts rebels]

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 #: GLC02437.03477 Author/Creator: Lincoln, Benjamin (1733-1810) Place Written: s.l. Type: Manuscript document Date: 1 March 1787 Pagination: 4 p. ; 22.8 x 18.8 cm. Order a Copy

Expresses views and thoughts about rebellions, in relation to the recent Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts. Writes, "The spirit of rebellion is now nearly crushed in this state, and the opposition to Government is hereby decreasing. This therefore is the most critical moment yet seen. Punishment must be such, and be so far extended as thereby others shall be detered from repeating such acts of outrage in the future..." States that the Legislature is best suited to handling rebellions, especially in terms of bringing people back under the government. Writes that "I wish that those Insurgents who should secure the pardon, were all at liberty to exercise the rights of good Citizens, for I believe it to be the only way which can be adopted to make them good members of Society, and to reconcile them to that Government under which we wish them to live." Date inferred from Lincoln's letter to Knox on 1 March 1787 (GLC02437.03476), in which he encloses this document.

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources