Pamphlets and Ephemera

The earliest pamphlets are from 1854: a lecture by Robert C. Winthrop, “Algernon Sidney: a lecture, delivered before the Boston mercantile library association, December 21, 1853” and an essay on the Nebraska question by abolitionist Theodore Parker. A few pamphlets from 1860-1865 document Abraham Lincoln’s political career and the politics of the time, including 1860 and 1864 election material, the extension of slavery in the territories, and pro- and anti-slavery views. There is also a copy of the Opinions of Chief Justice Taney and Justice Curtis in the 1857 Dred Scott case (box 19).

In the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination a host of pamphlets were published to meet American citizens’ thirst for information regarding the life of the president, the plot to assassinate him, and the fate of the conspirators. The Springer collection has a large number of such pamphlets published in 1865-1866 in the form of biographies, addresses, or sermons.

The largest part of the collection consists of pamphlets and ephemera from the 1880s to the 1960s (with the bulk covering the period from the 1920s-1940s). They include addresses and sermons delivered in different settings (academic, commemorative, political, or religious) and presented in various formats, including radio talk transcripts, newspaper clippings, typed copies and private editions. They deal with topics related to President Lincoln, the state of Illinois, slavery, the Civil War, the Confederacy, Lincoln commemorations, and even the national debate on segregation in the South in the 1920s - 1950s.

The collection contains numerous reprints of scholarly and popular articles, mostly from the 1920s-1940s. Many are by well-known Lincoln collectors, professional and amateur historians of the time such as J.B. Oakleaf, G.P. Hambrecht, E. Hertz, O. Eisenschiml, and H. E. Pratt. Some are privately printed publications and limited editions, and many are dedicated to Springer by the authors. There is also unpublished materials sent to Springer by G.P. Hambrecht (box 14). Some booklets were published by companies and businesses, others by governmental agencies such as the National Park Service. There are also numerous excerpts from the Congressional Record relating to Lincoln and Civil War history. Other publications include poetry, museum and historical sites brochures, event programs, book announcements. Finally there are some reprints of well-known Lincoln documents and facsimiles.

The collection has been left in the order in which it was brought to the library. Boxes 1-10 are organized by topic, and boxes 11-20 alphabetically by author. The latter cover similar topics, and the majority of the materials in those boxes are publications by Lincoln scholars and collectors. Most items are in English but there are also a variety of foreign languages.

Most of the items are cataloged, and can be found by searching the library catalog. However a few items of lesser significance are not cataloged such as menus and newspaper clippings. Those are noted in the brief overview of the collection below. Whenever relevant some items are highlighted as examples of the materials in boxes 11-20.