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.

Bourne, Sylvanus (1761-1817) to Henry Knox

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 #: GLC02437.10224 Author/Creator: Bourne, Sylvanus (1761-1817) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 16 January 1790 Pagination: 2 p. ; 37.6 x 20.2 cm. Order a Copy

Asks Knox to assist in furthering his cause in application for a consul or secretary position dealing with commerce and foreign affairs. Believes that the greatness of the nation is "intimately connected with the extension of her Commerce with other Powers, & having guaranteed by explicit Contract & no longer subject to the precarious tenure of legislative decrees." Goes on to state that he trusts Knox with handling this business and encloses references. Watermarked with a hunting horn inside a crest and the letters "G R" underneath.

Bourne was the U.S. consul to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from 1790-1791and Amsterdam, Netherlands from 1794-1817.

Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources