Letters Home From Congress
Collection Overview
This collection features letters home from Warren R. Austin (Senator, 1931-1946), Jacob Collamer (Representative, 1843-1848; Senator, 1855-1865), and Samuel C. Crafts (Representative, 1817-1824; Senator, 1842-1843). The letters document travel to...
Show moreThis collection features letters home from Warren R. Austin (Senator, 1931-1946), Jacob Collamer (Representative, 1843-1848; Senator, 1855-1865), and Samuel C. Crafts (Representative, 1817-1824; Senator, 1842-1843). The letters document travel to and from Washington by horse, boat, train, and airplane; lodging in boarding houses, hotels, and homes; social life in Washington; significant local and national events; and legislative issues under consideration in Congress. Austin's letters are particularly strong in their coverage of his frustration at being a Senator in the minority party during the era of Roosevelt and the New Deal; his activities on the Judiciary Committee; and foreign affairs questions such as the Neutrality Act. The letters of Crafts and Collamer both extensively cover the question of slavery, discussing Missouri statehood, John Brown, the annexation of Texas, and the Civil War. All three Congressmen frequently discuss questions regarding appropriations and the Federal budget. Biographical information is available from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, at: http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp
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Related Archival Collections
(1 - 17 of 17)
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, April 22, 1937
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Topics include Court Bill, President Roosevelt, and potential votes against the bill in the Senate.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, April 23, 1937
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Topics include Court Bill hearings in the Judiciary Committee, and includes an excerpt.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, April 29, 1937
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Topics include debate on the Conference Report on the Neutrality Bill; Senator McNarry and Austin's duties as Assistant Minority Leader; Court Bill in the Judiciary Committee.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, April 5, 1937
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Topics include sit-down strikes; Court Bill hearings in the Judiciary Committee.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, February 1, 1937
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Topics include Judiciary Committee; O'Mahoney Bill; centralization of power in Washington.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, February 1, 1939
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Topics include foreign policy and the plan for national defense in the Military Affairs Committee; President Roosevelt meeting with the Military Affairs Committee at the White House; Relief Bill; Judiciary Committee.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, February 14, 1938
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Topics include Seantor Austin's speech in Utica, NY on Lincoln's birthday; tie vote in Judiciary Committee on Equal Rights for Women, Austin voted for it.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, February 24, 1938
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Topics include Judiciary Committee consideration of adding more judgeships.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, February 3, 1939
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Topics include Military Affairs Committee; Sub-Committee of the Judiciary on the nomination of Dean Clark of Yale Law School for a judgeship.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, January 10, 1938
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Topics include Judiciary Committee business; National Labor Relations Board; Anti-Lynching Bill; Conference Report on Farm Bill.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, January 20, 1939
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Topics include Senator Bridges (NH) speech on confirmation of Harry Hopkins as Secretary of Commerce; President Roosevelt's dinner to the Judiciary; Justice Stanley Reed; Chief Justice Charles Hughes.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, July 22, 1937
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Topics include overriding of a Presidential veto, 71 to 19; recommitting of the Court Bill to the Judiciary Committee.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, June 24, 1937
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Topics include letters received about Judiciary Committee action on the Court Bill.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, March 14, 1939
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Topics include a Sub-Committee of the Judiciary looking at two bills relating to administrative tribunals.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, March 25, 1937
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Topics include Court Bill hearings in the Judiciary Committee.
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- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, March 9, 1937
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Topics include Pure Food and Drug Bill; Court Bill hearings in the Judiciary Committee and opposition by Democrats; Guffey Coal Bill.
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- Warren R. Austin letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, December 18, 1940
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Topics include White House reception for the Judiciary; President and Mrs. Roosevelt; Walter-Logan Bill in the House after Presidential veto.