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.

Houston, Sam (1793-1863) to John H. Houston

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05508.134 Author/Creator: Houston, Sam (1793-1863) Place Written: Huntsville, Texas Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 4 December 1855 Pagination: 1 p.+ addr 20.5 x 16.1 cm Order a Copy

Houston writes that if the American Party (Know-Nothing Party) is to succeed they must admit Protestant naturalized citizens, but not Catholics because of their allegiance to foreign powers [i.e. the Pope]. He writes that they cannot jeopardize their principles for Louisiana, which is the only Catholic state.

Houston, Sam, 1793-1863
Houston, John H., fl. 1855

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