Subject: Prisons

A stampless letter dated April 16, 1807, from James Monroe, then Governor of Virginia, appointing Samuel Myers as an Inspector of the Penitentiary. The letter is free franked by Monroe. The letter provides biographical details on Samuel Myers, a prominent Richmond merchant and alderman.

This pamphlet details the military commission trial of Samuel North, Morven M. Jones, and Levi Cohen, three Civil War soldiers accused of ballot box stuffing during the 1864 presidential election. Published in Washington, D.C. in 1865, this copy belonged to Morven M. Jones, who added extensive annotations and a personal memoir recounting his imprisonment at Old Capitol Prison, his interactions with President Lincoln, and other aspects of his experiences during the Civil War. Jones's memoir provides a firsthand account of prison conditions, political intrigue, and the social climate surrounding the election.

This is a trade card for Isaac Benselum, a minister at the Lunatic Asylum and Civil Prison Hebrew Department. The front of the card contains a handwritten English greeting as well as a Hebrew greeting for the new year. This card was found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card is printed on thin paper and has a blue border.