Subject: Government

A sepia-toned carte-de-visite portrait of Judah P. Benjamin, presented in a head-and-shoulders view. Benjamin is depicted with a beard and wearing a dark suit with a bow tie, facing forward with a slight smile. The item is a photograph mounted on cardstock, characteristic of the carte-de-visite format popular in the mid-19th century. The reverse side of the card contains handwritten text, including the name "Benjamin." Judah Philip Benjamin served as Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State for the Confederate States of America. He was the first Jewish-American to hold a cabinet position in American history and is often referred to as the “brains of the Confederacy” due to his close relationship with Jefferson Davis.

This book excerpt consists of two leaves (printed on both sides) from a larger act, printed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1771. The act concerns the establishment of non-denominational oaths of office for British colonial governors and justices, eliminating the requirement for explicitly Christian wording. This reflects a shift towards religious tolerance in colonial administration. The excerpt is significant for its implications on the changing relationship between religious practice and legal office in the British colonies and its relationship to the increasing commercial and imperial power of Great Britain.

Handwritten letter from Alfred Mordecai of the Ordnance Office in Washington, D.C. to Captain E. Harding at the Augusta Arsenal, dated July 24, 1839. The letter acknowledges receipt of Harding's requisition and states that Hall's rifles will be shipped from Harpers Ferry. It also discusses the difficulty in obtaining other rifle parts and mentions Messrs D. Albert & Co. of Baltimore as importers for Harpers Ferry. The letter is folded and shows significant water or ink staining, particularly down the center. The reverse side includes an address and a red wax seal. **3.

An official letter from the Quartermaster General's Office of the Confederate States of America, dated May 7, 1862, from Richmond, Virginia. The letter concerns the reimbursement for a horse killed in battle, stating that the submitted account is not in proper form. It outlines the requirements for compensation, including certification from a disinterested person establishing the horse's death in battle and an appraisal of its value at the time of muster. The letter features official letterhead with ornate Victorian-style typography for "Confederate States of America. Quartermaster General's Office."

Letter from W. H. Watson, Military Secretary to Governor Edward Salomon, to Colonel T. H. Ruger, concerning the consolidation and recruitment of regiments for the Civil War. Watson discusses the challenges of filling old regiments with volunteers and the perceived inefficiency of recruiting officers for established regiments compared to new ones. He inquires whether Ruger's regiment can be consolidated to create room for new companies. The letterhead features an engraving of a tradesman and farmer flanking the Seal of the United States with the motto "Forward," typical of official state stationery, engraved by Wellstood, Hanks, Hay & Whiting, New York, with ornate script for "State of Wisconsin," "Executive Department," and "Madison." 3.

This document is a portion of the Congressional Record from September 15, 1863, focusing on the "MAJORITY REPORT of the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS." The report includes Judah P. Benjamin's findings on foreign governmental representatives.

A pamphlet issued by the Ordnance Office of the U.S. War Department on July 30, 1863, providing details on the administrative duties of the Ordnance Bureau. An insert indicates this pamphlet forms part of a larger work being prepared titled "Administrative Duties of the Ordnance Bureau," which will detail the duties of each division of the Ordnance Office and direct attention to rules for examining property returns. The light blue cover features a decorative double-line border and a central insignia of the Ordnance Department, which includes crossed cannons and other military symbols. Handwritten notation on the cover indicates it was received by Captain A. Mordecai in 1863.

Printed report (#303) by Mordecai Myers, Chairman of the Committee on Militia and Public Defense, regarding the acceptance of Ellis's repeating rifles in lieu of the state's arms quota. Issued in Albany, New York on April 23, 1832.

This Royal Warrant, issued from St. James's, London, on November 3, 1763, is a payment order signed by King George III. It directs Henry Lord Holland, Paymaster General of Guards, Garrisons & Land Forces, to pay the sum of £626 5 shillings and 4 pence to the representatives of Sir James Colebrooke, Sir George Colebrooke Baronet, Arnold Nesbitt, and Moses Franks Esq. This payment is to discharge a debt for provisions and financial support they provided to royal forces in New York during the French and Indian War. The document features the signature "George R[ex]" in brown ink and is countersigned by George Grenville, Sir John Turner, and Thomas Orby Hunter. Arnold Nesbitt and Moses Franks have also signed the document on the verso, likely acknowledging receipt of funds. The warrant is housed in a custom presentation folder which includes an engraving of George III. The document itself shows flattened folds, light edge toning and chipping, and foxing throughout, with some tape and mounting residue on the verso.