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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.

Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) To: Bey of Tunis.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02794.053 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: Washington Type: Letter Date: 1803/07/19 Pagination: 1 p. + address 42.5 x 26.3 cm Order a Copy

Copy of letter announcing appointment of Lear as Consul, with clerical countersignature of James Madison. Docketed on address leaf.

Thomas Jefferson President of the United States of America
To the most Illustrious and most Magnificent Prince, the Dey of Tunis, the abode of happiness Illustrious friend,
As we have desired Mr. Lear who has lately been appointed our Consul General to the Kingdom of Algiers to attend to several of our Special concerns in the Mediterranean we have among others charged him to present himself at your Court to arrange with you certain subjects which may more and more consolidate the Peace and good intelligence which prevails between us. Therefore pray you to give him a Kind reception and full evidence to whatever he shall say to you on our behalf, especially when he shall assure you of the continuance of our friendship and good will.
Written at the City of Washington, the Nineteenth day of July 1803.--
Thos. Jefferson
By the President
James Madison Secretary of State
[address leaf:]
To the Most Illustrious and Most
Magnificent Prince,
The Bey of Tunis.
[docket:]
Copy of a Letter from
The President of the U. States
to
The Bey of Tunis
19th July 1803.

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
Madison, James, 1751-1836

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