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.

Webster, Daniel (1782-1852) to James William Paige

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 #: GLC01946.48 Author/Creator: Webster, Daniel (1782-1852) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 February 1851 Pagination: 3 p. ; 16 x 10.1 cm. Order a Copy

Sends papers to his brother-in-law, including his famous Plymouth Oration (also entitled "First Settlement of New England") delivered in Plymouth, Massachusetts on 22 December 1820. Informs Paige that the papers were refined by New York Representative Edward Curtis. Reports that former Massachusetts Representative Edward Everett agreed to superintend the publication of the papers. States that his previous clerk, State Department employee George Abbot, intends to assist Everett with the publication.

Washington Feb.5.'51
Wednesday morning
7 o'clock - up, &
shaved, & dressed, ½ an
hour ago - a proof
of good health -
Dear Mrs. Paige:
I return the papers, duly signed by Mr. Curtis. The Plymouth Speech, with the notes [illegible], went off yesterday; the next will follow tomorrow. The Printer will be kept in copy. Mr. Everett [2] has kindly consented to superintend the [struck: production] publication, & Mr. George J. Abbott, a scholar-like man, now in the Department, will go to Boston for a while, to see if he can take part of the work off Mr Everett's hands. We have some difficulty about the arrangement of the contents. On this head, I [3] shall write to Mr. Everett. Altho. at first inclined to a different opinion, I now doubt whether it will be wise to alter; materially, the order in which the Speeches in the 3. published vols now [illegible].
Yrs very truly
Daniel Webster
J. W. Paige Esq

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852
Paige, James William, 1792-1868
Abbot, George, fl. 1851-1859
Curtis, Edward, 1801-1856
Everett, Edward, 1794-1865

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources