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Word on the Hill: Can’t Get Enough Hamilton

West Africa CODEL, and Newseum’s future

Alexander Hamilton. Reproduction of painting by John Trumbull. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
Alexander Hamilton. Reproduction of painting by John Trumbull. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
By Alex Gangitano
Posted August 30, 2017 at 5:00am

Obsessing over Alexander Hamilton isn’t just for historians anymore, thanks to the hit Broadway show, “Hamilton,” and now the Library of Congress.

For the first time ever, the papers of Alexander Hamilton are online in their original format. The library holds the largest collection of his papers in the world, which includes 12,000 items dating from 1777 until he died in 1804.

Among the papers are letters, legal papers, and drafts of speeches and writings, many of which Hamilton hand-wrote.

The library released a preview of what’s in the extensive collection:

  • A letter written when Hamilton was 12 or 13 to his friend Edward Stevens describing his wish to raise his station in life.
  • The outline of Hamilton’s speech at the Constitutional Convention.
  • Hamilton’s draft of George Washington’s farewell address.
  • His draft of the infamous Reynolds pamphlet.
  • A letter to his wife, Eliza, written shortly before his fatal duel with Aaron Burr.

West Africa CODEL

Members of the House and Senate are currently in West Africa, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, tweeted on Tuesday, where they will be through the week. Coons said he will continue to share photographs from the trip.

Could the Newseum’s time be up?

The Newseum’s president, Jeffrey Herbst, stepped down, which could lead to the sale of the museum, the Washington Post reported. The building, prominently located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, has reportedly cost its creator, The Freedom Forum, $500 million since it opened in 2008. It first opened in Rosslyn, Virginia, in 1997 before moving across the river to D.C.

Happy birthday to…

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., 57.

What’s going on?

Have any tips, announcements or Hill happenings? Send them to AlexGangitano@cqrollcall.com

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