Collections

A collection of letters and documents pertaining to the American Revolution, or to personages who figured in it. Among the persons represented in the collection are John Adams, Edmund Burke, Aaron Burr, Lord Cornwallis, Benjamin Franklin, Nathanael Greene, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Marquis de Lafayette, Henry Brockholst Livingston, Robert Morris, William Pitt, Benjamin Rush, Baron von Steuben, and George Washington. The largest group of manuscripts in the collection is the sixteen letters of Henry Laurens, the South Carolina planter, and his son, John Laurens, among which is a "manumission letter" written by Henry Laurens to his son on 14 August 1776, shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For the text of this letter see: A LETTER FROM HENRY LAURENS TO HIS SON JOHN LAURENS, AUGUST 14, 1776.

A collection of letters and documents pertaining to the American Revolution, or to personages who figured in it. Among the persons represented in the collection are John Adams, Edmund Burke, Aaron Burr, Lord Cornwallis, Benjamin Franklin, Nathanael Greene, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Marquis de Lafayette, Henry Brockholst Livingston, Robert Morris, William Pitt, Benjamin Rush, Baron von Steuben, and George Washington. The largest group of manuscripts in the collection is the sixteen letters of Henry Laurens, the South Carolina planter, and his son, John Laurens, among which is a magnificent "manumission letter" written by Henry Laurens to his son on 14 August 1776, barely a month after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For the text of this letter see: A LETTER FROM HENRY LAURENS TO HIS SON JOHN LAURENS, AUGUST 14, 1776.

Files relating to the research and writing of the historian Frank Monaghan. Alexander Hamilton Bicentennial Commission Papers are files for 1954-1955 and 1960. These consist of Monaghan's correspondence with historians, archivists, and others concerned with the work of the Commission. In addition to Monaghan's bibliographical notes and his notes on Hamilton's correspondents, there are typescript copies of letters between Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, and their seconds preceding their duel, and an incomplete series of typescript copies of excerpts from Hamilton's letters illustrating his thoughts on individuals and concepts for names and concepts beginning with the letters M and N. Also, several papers written by others and submitted to Monaghan. The John Jay Files include numerous typescript copies of letters to and from John Jay. The Frank Monaghan Files include correspondence, notes, and drafts of the first chapter of Monaghan's book JOHN JAY, DEFENDER OF LIBERTY.

Thirteen letters from Washington to Gouverneur Morris, one to Alexander Hamilton, one to Nicholas Pike, etc.; two discharge papers signed, etc. There are also letters written to John Jay.

Letters written to Gouverneur Morris from many of his contemporaries including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Paul Jones, Nathaniel Greene, Philip Schuyler, Robert Morris, George Plater, William Short, William T. Franklin, and Thomas Pinckney. Letters from Gouverneur Morris to George Washington, John Jay, Lafayette, Philip Schuyler, Nathaniel Greene, and others. Personal correspondence from Madame Foucault, John Parish, and others. Manuscripts and documents relating to events in which Morris was a participant or interested party such as the Genet Affair and the "Lost Million" Affair; diplomatic correspondence with French ministers of foreign affairs, 1792-1794, and miscellaneous articles and reports by Morris, many on public finance and economics.

Letters, manuscripts, documents, and letterbooks of Jay and of many members of his family. The letters touch on every aspect of American life and government of the period, and contain correspondence from such prominent individuals as John Adams, George Clinton, James Duane, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Rufus King, John Paul Jones, Marquis de Lafayette, Robert B. Livingston, William Livingston, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, Edmund Randolph, Philip Schuyler, and George Washington. There are approximately 500 letters from Jay, primarily drafts of correspondence to the persons listed above, as well as his correspondence as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, 1784-1789. The manuscripts and documents include many reports, commissions, and diplomas, as well as a draft copy of THE FEDERALIST Number 5 and Jay's oath of office as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court; also included are manumission documents, and a group of documents from Trinity Church, where his father was a vestryman from 1715 to 1785. The collection includes copies of Jay's letter book as Secretary of State, 10 Oct. 1788-25 Dec. 1792, and of four letters from John Armstrong, 19 June-27 Dec. 1810; and a commercial copy of the pair of silverplated candlesticks from the Treaty of Paris, 3 Sept. 1783, reproduced by the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

Office records for the publication project, and photocopies and microfilm copies of Jay letters and related documents.

The McVickar letters consist of photostatic copies of autograph letters written by famous people, primarily to John McVickar or members of his family. Among the personages represented in this collection are Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, and Charles Dickens.

A collection of letters, documents, manuscripts, and books collected by Dr. Michael Reynard and placed on deposit in The Rare Book and Manuscript Library.