Scope and Contents Note From the Collection: In this letter to Andrew Jackson, William B. Lewis discusses the annexation of Texas. He writes that "I send you herewith, my dear Genl, a newspaper containing the Treaty with Texas and the Presidents message which accompanied it to the Senate-Both of which, it seems, have been CLANDESTINELY obtained and published, a few days ago, by the New York Evening Post." The back of the letter reads "From WB Lewis To General Andrew Jackson, Hermitage, near...

Scope and Contents Note From the Collection: Five workers in the federal navy yard in Philadelphia wrote this petition to Andrew Jackson to ask that their work day be limited to ten hours. Addressed to Jackson at the Hermitage in Tennessee, the letter recounts the workers' frustrations and appeals to Jackson’s concern for his place in history: ... frequent appeals have been made for the establishment of a system requiring but ten hours labour in our national yard. The commandant has been solicited. The board of navy commissioners have...

Scope and Contents Note From the Collection: This broadside, entitled "General Andrew Jackson," was issued as a public tribute to Jackson after his death in 1845. It features a woodcut illustration of Jackson in his later years as well as a biographical note. The biographical piece focuses on Jackson's military accomplishments, calling him the "Hero of New Orleans" and detailing his involvement in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and conflicts with the Creek and Seminole people in the American South. A small portion...

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This photograph depicts workers using a steam-driven shovel to repair railroad tracks in New Market, Tennessee. A number of civilians, including women in dresses and hats, are observing them. A caption handwritten across the top of the photograph reads "Mr. Ed. King, New Market, Tennessee." Although the image is undated, the damage to the tracks may have been incurred during the New Market train wreck in 1904.

Scope and Contents Note From the Collection: This collection is a single printed broadside. Tennessee Comptroller G. W. Blackburn issued this broadside on June 22, 1869, as a public notice informing the state's revenue officers of the treasury's dire financial situation. Blackburn explains his recently acquired legal rights as comptroller to issue bonds (in this instance, bonds valued at $400,000) to pay the state's debt. Due to increasing expenditures and shrinking tax revenues, the Tennessee state treasury faced a potentially...