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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.

Maitland, James M. (1815-1864) to Joseph M. Maitland

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.10.067 Author/Creator: Maitland, James M. (1815-1864) Place Written: Kingston, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 May 1863 Pagination: 2 p. ; 30 x 19.1 cm. Order a Copy

Writes, "There is considerable excitement in the Political atmosphere. The Republicans have nominated rather a strong ticket headed by John Brough for Governor and Charlie Anderson of Texas notoriety for Lieut Gov." Recently read a speech by Brough, noting that there were "two ideas advanced which I cannot concur in. That is [inserted: in] regard to arbitrary arrests by the Military, and trying them before a Military Tribunal instead of the civil according to the provisions of the Constitution. And the other idea was that the present war could never be stopped until slavery was entirely eradicated or that no settlement of the question would be entertained until Slavery was abrogated, entertaining these views therefore I cannot support him; and Vallandigham." Writes that he might as well not vote for Governor at all, since he does not support any candidate with extreme views. Frowns upon his acquaintances wearing political buttons or breast pins in suppor of Vallandigham. Includes a small note at the bottom of the letter which was written the next morning.

Joseph Maitland enlisted on 8 August 1862 as a private. He was mustered into "G" Co. OH 95th Infantry. He was mustered out 31 May 1865 at Memphis, Tennessee. Clement Vallandigham, referred to as an Ohio Peace Democrat, was an outspoken critiic of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. He was forced to run his campaign for governor of Ohio from Canada due to his open criticism of the war. Brough beat Vallandigham in the 1863 race for governor by 100,000 votes.

Maitland, James M., 1815-1864
Maitland, Joseph M., 1839-1918

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