Harrison, William Henry (1773-1841) to John Brown Dillon
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02946 Author/Creator: Harrison, William Henry (1773-1841) Place Written: North Bend, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 December 1838 Pagination: 3 p. : address ; 24.8 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
Harrison offers his opinion to Dillon, who is publishing a pamphlet on the subject of slavery: "our Union is a Union of Sovereign Independent States &... in every particular where power is not expressly surrendered by that instrument to the General Government it is retained by the States..." Argues that its omission from the Constitution leaves the slavery question up to individual states, not to the federal government. Emphasizes he is writing as a friend, not for publication. Includes a note written in pencil at the top of page one, pertaining to the purchase of this letter and signed by W. H. H. Terrell.
Harrison served as President in 1841, dying of illness only one month into his term. Dillon was a civil servant, historian, and newspaper editor in Logansport, Indiana; Indiana State Librarian (1845-1851); and secretary of the Indiana Historical Society (1859-1879).
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