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.

Smith, Gerrit (1797-1874) to President Green, Whitesboro

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04717.48 Author/Creator: Smith, Gerrit (1797-1874) Place Written: Peterboro, New York Type: Printed letter Date: 4 April 1849 Pagination: 2 p. ; 31.9 x 20.6 cm. Order a Copy

Addresses a chief difference: "You have none, whilst I have the utmost confidence, in the capabilities of the masses to take care of themselves."

Smith, a politician from New York, served as a U.S. Representative from 1853-1854. He was a noted philanthropist and social reformer active in anti-slavery campaigns and women's rights.

Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874
Green, Beriah, 1795-1874

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