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Meehan, John S., D. Ridgely.

[Donation receipt and correspondence between the Library of Congress and State of Maryland].

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. and Annapolis, Maryland, 1841. CONDITION: Bottom of Library of Congress letterhead excised; small loss to Ridgely’s letter, loss to one and a half words. Printed and manuscript receipt with vignette of federal eagle, 8” x 8”, 1 p.; 2 letters (10” x 8”), 2 pp. of manuscript and 1 p. of manuscript.

A group of papers documenting book donations made by the Maryland State Library to the Library of Congress in 1841, including personal correspondence between librarians John S. Meehan of the library of Congress and D. Ridgley of State Library of Maryland.

A form issued by The Committee on the Library of Congress and dated July 28th 1841 documents receipt of the following gift for the library from the State of Maryland: Dorsey’s Compilation of the Laws of Maryland (3 volumes); Bozman’s History of Maryland (2 volumes); Conventions of Maryland, 1744–‘5–‘6 (of each one copy). The receipt is accompanied by a personal letter of acknowledgment from Meehan to Ridgely, also noting:

The Messenger of the Library handed to Mr. Hickey, of the Senate Office, the copy of the “Annals of Annapolis” you enclosed in our parcel for him. Have you sent any copies of this work to the booksellers of this City? I presume the Library Committee will order a copy of it to be purchased for use in the Library.

We understand here that the Delaware ship of the line has been ordered to Annapolis, where she will be in a few days, and it is expected that numbers of members of Congress and of our citizens will visit your city to see her. If I can leave here on the occasion, it is my intention to make one of the number—but, if I cannot be with you at that time, it is my design to make your ancient and honorable city a visit during the approaching autumn, when it will afford me much happiness to give you a friendly greeting, and to spend a few hours in your excellent library.

Ridgely, responding to Meehan the following month, expresses his disappointment in not seeing him at the Delaware ship of the line gathering, notes that he hopes to see him in Maryland whenever he can arrange a visit, and begs acceptance of an accompanying a copy of the Annals of Annapolis for the Library of Congress.

John S. Meehan (1790–1863) served as the fourth Librarian of the U.S. Congress from 1829 to 1861. A Democrat, Meehan was appointed Librarian of Congress by President Andrew Jackson—replacing the Whig-activist George Watterston, who opposed Jackson. Serving under nine presidents, he was replaced by President Abraham Lincoln with a Republican supporter, John G. Stephenson, despite Congressional opposition.

An interesting group of documents relating to the early days of the library of Congress.

REFERENCES: John Silva Meehan (1790-1863) at Library of Congress online.

Item #5580

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