New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-12
RARE OLD LETTERS.
SOME LITERARY CURIoSITIEs OF REVoLU-
TIoNARY TINES.
r,,r, rrrr1xcwr11, coLLEcTIoN--A COMMUNE
CATION FROM LYMAN HALLT-THE Exc
crrr1oy OF MAJOR ANpRE.

In
has varied assortment Of rare and curious books
rr,nts and engravings. which it has been the work
- his Iifc 70 collect It Is queer old place. but
! Mr. Sobin is happy there among his treas|S's
| Snealxno of them he said the other day
| "Durinr the last three months auction sales
| ~ hooks and papers rich in interest to the col
lectors of Americana have been large and notable
| Az PHILADELPHIA in December the Washington anu
| 7 owls estate and in February the Baker COL
| lection. from which sales the public lof ample
purse) had ample opportunity OF purchasing auto
| croob letters and documents exhibiting glimpscs
| of the high character, comprehensiveness anu
| ability Of George Washington, as also to OBTAIN
| the documentary evidences of his owning siaVeS
| distillng and selling whiskcy and investing IN
lotteries. The clearness. care and precision WIN
which he made his agreements and PROMISES Ills
| ncrception of the duties of others to himself,
| feeling of lenity to those whose intent OF we'll
| doing was not equal to their performance his
nunctiliousness as q man Of business his incon-
| veniences as connected with poor relations who
| needed loans-all such items Of character. habit
etc. were patent in original letters and docu-
ments offered at these sales.
an New. York the Ives sale has been so largely
discussed that there is little to he said Mr.. Ives
| was somewhat in advance of American collectors
| in his appreciation of Incunabula and Spanish
| Americana. and the foreign values placed upon
| his most costly books were not sustained. but in
books familiar to the American collector, and
needing less explanation as to the sources OF
their value he was sustained fall in prices
since the Barlow sale In some Of the choicest
| Spanish Americana may have been because
I,arlows books climbed so high under the in
huence of the $40 900 which TO be spent by the
Boston Library; what they did not buy was
frequently bid up to tall figures.
"The first part of the collection Of Professor
Lefingwell, Of New Haven, was sold by Libbie,
Of Boston. in January The sale of the second
and last part. also by Libbie is still fresh in inter
est. The proceeds of both parts amounted to over
s51 900 Interesting and valuable items were
abundant; for instance. autographs of the two
spies, Major Andre and Nathan Hale, and
a complete set Of the autographs of the signers
Of the Declaration. The word autographs
is used advisedly, for there not com
plete set of autograph letters Of the signers.
Thomas Lynch, jr., was represented by signature
cut from the fly leaf of book. Button Gwinnett
by signature to bond. But it is usual to find
complec signers' with 10 better specimens. IN
deed they would be most conspicuous by their
presence in any collection in the shape of a note
or letter of any SIZE shape or dimension on any
subject.
| Lyncl lOSt Ills uedltH SOOH dlleT lic OcOdi"-
ton. He afterward went to and was drowned.
| Button Gwinnett was killed in duel, as mar
rated in the letter below. DR.. Emmett, of this
city. has the only known letter of Lynch's. There
is crescendo in prices, according TO quantity, in
these signatures Lynch is valued at S7j and
upwards; T. Lynch, jr.,' $3.50 and upwards.
Thomas Lynch IT, brought $500 at the sale.
"Thc letter Of the sale, alike rich in the tech
nical qualities coveted by the collector and the
rational and intrinsic qualities desired by the his
torian was the autograph letter lsgned twice Of
Lyman Hall II brought the highest price OF all
the rarities in the collection-S1,775. To speak
of it as high is waste OF words. OF course it
is q large sum. Its abundance in the highest
characteristics, both technical and intrinsic,
evoked energetic competition. Here is the text
of the letter; it occupies four folio pages rather
closely written on hard paper. 1t is in fine con-
dtion. The man who shot Gwinnctt was General
Mcintosh.
DR.. Sir: Your favour Of April. eth is the first
! have Reed. from any Friend your way Since l
Left Baltimore, q am much Obliged to you for
the Intelligence, you Communicate. Respectg
our Affairs at the Court of France think much is
Included in il, fer where q Man Opens his purse
to Lend Friend without Init he Certainly Means
to assist hm-am Sorry to hear that the Recruit
ing service goes on so slow; however, hope that
by this Time Genl. Washington is properly Re
nforced & able TO Speake with our Enemies Face
to Face. | Imeiine, an Early attack upon them
will be successful, as it is not probable they
Receive any early Recruits, * must, | think, be in
a poor Condition to Defend themselves.
Am glad 10 find you Approve of our Constitution
in the Maine? an pleased with it d think it
Contains the pillars of Liberty in whit people
perhaps less Yirtuous than we are, might Erect
an Administration Of Govt. that wd Difuse equal
Justice d equal Liberty to the Members Of the
neutrality-suspicious. / can see that you men
ton is perhaps one but | think it may be
Ran<d among the Best on the Contnent-but as
it has laid foundation for great many New
Laws Il Regulators in this State, many Of which
might be very similar 10 yours of Connecticut
Must beg the favour of you 10 Furnish Dr. Bronn-
son with Connecticut Law Book. Sc Desire him
TO forward, without fail, one by Water q bring
one by hand that By Water by the first Oporty
perhaps Mr.. Insersol will Spare his. If not, be so
kind as to Assist in procuring one or two. have
wrote the DR.. on the Subject
have ever since my arrival, been almost
Constantly from Home either, at Council or in
have we Emerged from State of Anarchy in the
New Node of Govt. 90 on but Slow. the Old
Leaven Shape the Mass how You will. still carrys
TOryism under Wing Mask q I apprehend the
Salvation of this State almost Depends on the
Removl of Brlgadr-G. Mcintosh to some other
sangunity have Rendered themselves so obnoxious.
that, if he is upright himself he will be suspected
When came here 1 found an Expedition going on
Southwardly with am afraid fer want OF q few
armd Vessels, will not effect 50 much as could be
wished; however, hope 1t will at Least answer
this good purpose viz. keep our Enemies Of
z. Florida at Home IL prevent their Repeating
their Depredations upon ns-I believe already we
have but 5000 4, perhaps 8 or 5000 Head Of
Cattle, q had our Settlements broke ND in ali
the Southern Part OF this State
I frequently wish 10 be with you but alas
this State is In so much Danger Externally and
Internally, that 1t seems Necessary that | should
Throw In my small might for its preservation,
every little will help they sayl, nor can Expect
TO see YOU, tho pressed TO it, as things now stand
(you see | am at the Bottom Shall begin t6T1er
sid n fiop IL
I Delayed-are the Journals printed ?-thc Medical
. System Lookes like the Degenerate face Of Cor
}, rupton. Gwinnett is if possible o Wing to Ex-
4 | cess.
My Comp'ts 10 the good natIed, sensihla Hon
est and facetious Ellery ID. Walcott, Col Thornton
> and lady; in Word, to all good people that En-
J. quire after me of all Color, all Americans OF
t Stature and Ablity-Complts- Mr. Cheesemah
in particular-Mr. Sprout and Family Webster and