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.

Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04589 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 April 1790 Pagination: 4 p. ; 24.3 x 19.5 cm. Order a Copy

Thanks Knox for his letter of condolence on account of his father's death. Discusses Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton's plan for the federal government to assume state debts. Writes, "[t]he nonassumption of the State Debt has thrown the people into the greatest confusion, and will be the means of weakening the Federal government more than any other measure they could have persued..." Believes that "unless this measure is obtained in the present session of Congress, very serious consequences will take place..." Mentions a number of public creditors had a meeting on Thursday, and will meet again on Tuesday, to hear a report from the Committee. Also mentions the theft of goods from the customs house. Says the goods were found in a barn on the north side of the town and that evidence was found on a ship in harbor and linke dto the capatin's son; says both "Ship & Goods" are believed to be condemned.

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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