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.

Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) to unknown

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04324 Author/Creator: Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 16 April 1872 Pagination: 3 p. ; 20.2 x 12.7 cm. Order a Copy

He is against the renomination of Grant, "believing him entirely unworthy." He also writes that Grant has "little thought for the colored race" and freedmen. re: attacking Grant's nomination

A congressman representing Massachusetts, Sumner had vocalized his feelings about reconstruction even before the end of the war. Throughout the war he constituted himself as the special champion of the black man, encouraging emancipation, enlistment in the Union army, and establishing the Freedmen's Bureau. Sumner strongly opposed Andrew Johnson and participated in his impeachment trial. He also opposed Grant, particularly Grant's scheme to annex San Domingo.

Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources