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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.

Lear, Tobias (1762-1816) to Benjamin Lincoln re: gratitude for getting position as Washington's secretary

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02794.002 Author/Creator: Lear, Tobias (1762-1816) Place Written: Portsmouth, [N.H.] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1785/12/29 Pagination: 2 p. 23 x 19 cm Order a Copy

"I gladly and willingly accept of the proposal which you made me of going to Virginia . . . . to render myself serviceable, and agreeable to General Washington." Docketed on address leaf.

Portsmout Dec 29th. 1785
Respected Sir
I yesterday rec'd your very obliging fav'r of the 26th Inst. I cannot express my gratitude at present by any other means than by informing you that I gladly and willingly accept the proposal which you made of me going to Virginia. I trust that my exertions will not be wanting to render myself serviceable, and agreeable to General Washington; a sense of Obligation I am under you, and your Son, will be a sufficient Stimulus for me to do well, even if I have no other, and I shall wish that some future period may put it in my power to show how much I am, Respected Sir,

Your Obliged & very Humbl.Servt
Tobias Lear

P.S. I shall hold myself in readiness to whenever you may think proper.-

[address leaf]
Genl. Lincoln
Dec. 29. 1785
The Honbl.
Benjamin Lincoln Esq
Hingham [Massachusetts]

Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

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