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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.

Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to Marquis de Lafayette

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04391 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter Date: 15 October 1789 Pagination: 4 p. : docket ; 31.8 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Writes that he is thankful to be able to send this letter by Count de Moustier, who was returning from his time as French minister to America. Will enclose the diplomas for the French officers in the Society of the Cincinnati. Says "The importance of the revolution in France is astonishing - one looks round in amazement and asks is it not a delusion, can it be true? This is a new Lesson to the Gods of the earth that there [distinction] is but a phantom of the imagination that an [illegible] people will know and ought to repress the abuses and oppressions of their rulers." Asks for more news on the revolution and talks about some of its implications. Encloses a letter for "Young Master Greene" from his mother Catharine Greene (not included). Postscript asks that if he knows anything of Mr. Swan to pass it along to him.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

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