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.

Simpson, Henry (1790-1868) to Francis P. Blair

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03209.21 Author/Creator: Simpson, Henry (1790-1868) Place Written: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 December 1831 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Recommending Jacksonian supporter Henry Petriken, who had served in the Pennsylvania state senate, and wishes to be appointed an official visitor to West Point. The Board of Visitors at West Point are responsible for inquiring about the Academy's morale and discipline, curriculum, instructions, physical equipment, fiscal affairs and academic methods. The board consists of presidential appointees and members of Congress. At this time Simon Cameron was among those on the board.

Henry Simpson was a writer and member of the legislature of Pennsylvania.
Francis P. Blair was the publisher of the Globe, the official paper of the Democratic party for fifteen years.

Simpson, Henry, 1790-1868
Blair, Francis Preston, 1791-1876

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