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.

Grundy, Felix (1777-1840) to William S. Holabird

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05636.03 Author/Creator: Grundy, Felix (1777-1840) Place Written: Washington, D. C. Type: Letter Date: 30 October 1839 Pagination: 1 p. ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

The body of the letter appears to be clerically written; the signature has been clipped and someone has written "Felix Grundy" in a different hand beneath. Grundy, Attorney General of the United States, informs Holabird, District Attorney of Connecticut: "It is necessary that I should know, what legal proceedings are now pending in your District, in relation to the negroes and vessel Amistad- You will be good enough to give the information at your earliest convenience- You named to the President, that you intended to visit Washington; will you do so, and when? Where was the Amistad, when boarded by Captain Gedney's boat? Where does your Court commence its next Session- Do you wish to have a copy of the Attorney Generals opinion on the subject of these negroes?"

Holabird served as U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut 1834-1841.

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855
Grundy, Felix, 1777-1840
Gedney, Thomas R., ?-1857

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