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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.

Wright, Crafts J. (1808-1883) Official journal of the Conference Convention, held at Washington City, February, 1861.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08808 Author/Creator: Wright, Crafts J. (1808-1883) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Pamphlet Date: February 1861 Pagination: 93 p. ; 23 x 15 cm. Order a Copy

Proceedings of the Washington peace conference. Lists the delegates to the convention and includes an appendix presenting the resolutions of other states. Printed by M'Gill & Witherow, Washington, D.C.

The Commonwealth of Virginia initiated the peace conference as a last ditch effort to avoid the imminent war. The hope was that if the delegates could arrive at some amicable compromise, secession fever might diminish and the seceded states might be entreated to rejoin the Union. Former president John Tyler of Virginia was the presiding officer.

Wright, Crafts J. (Crafts James), 1808-1883
Conference Convention (1861: Washington, D.C.)

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