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
Show less
Related Archival Collections
(381 - 400 of 444)
Pages
- Title
- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, September 11, 1940
- Description
-
Topics include Export Import Bank and an amendment by Senator Taft (OH); Aiken's primary win for Vermont Senate seat.
- Title
- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, September 30, 1939
- Description
-
Topics include response to constituents regarding foreign policy.
- Title
- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, September 4, 1940
- Description
-
Topics include traveling to Washington by air; island leases for military and naval bases.
- Title
- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, September 5, 1940
- Description
-
Topics include conference report on the Transportation Bill; island leases for military and naval bases.
- Title
- Letter to Mrs. C.G. (Ann) Austin, September 7, 1940
- Description
-
Topics include Austin's efforts to help avert a railroad strike in Vermont.
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, April 30, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include traveling to Washington, DC from Craftsbury, Vermont; oath of office in the Senate; Senator Phelps (VT).
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, August 1, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include enclosed seating chart of the Senate chamber with the seats of the members.
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, December 11, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include adjournment of Congressional session; Senate and House repeal of Bankruptcy Law; act for reducing pay of members of Congress and other officers of government would fix the compensation of members at seven dollars per day, and seven dollars for...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include adjournment of Congressional session; Senate and House repeal of Bankruptcy Law; act for reducing pay of members of Congress and other officers of government would fix the compensation of members at seven dollars per day, and seven dollars for every twenty miles of travel, and reduce the pay, by twelve and one half percent, of all of officers of government who receive more than twelve hundred dollars a year; vote to release General Jackson's fine.
Show less
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, December 11, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include effect of severe weather on obtaining a quorum in the Senate; health of Senator Samuel Phelps (VT); church meeting preached by Dr. Nott, President of Union College, Schenectady, New York; boarding accommodations in Washington, DC.
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, July 3, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include attendance at church meetings in the Representatives Hall in the Capitol and various chaplains and clergymen who preach there; regular attendance of Washington citizens, particularly blacks, at church meetings; plans to see Sabbath School scholars...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include attendance at church meetings in the Representatives Hall in the Capitol and various chaplains and clergymen who preach there; regular attendance of Washington citizens, particularly blacks, at church meetings; plans to see Sabbath School scholars and black Sabbath School scholars 4th of July processions; death and funeral of Senator Samuel Southard (NJ); veto by President Tyler of Tariff Bill with provision postponing the distribution to the States of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands and return of bill to the House of Representatives with little chance of overriding the veto; Locofocos (Democrats) are against distribution and generally against protection, but despise Tyler.
Show less
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, June 11, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Tariff being considered in the House of Representatives; duties on imports; duty on foreign wool and response of wool manufacturers; distribution of the proceeds of the public lands; Apportionment Bill for Representatives to Congress debated in...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Tariff being considered in the House of Representatives; duties on imports; duty on foreign wool and response of wool manufacturers; distribution of the proceeds of the public lands; Apportionment Bill for Representatives to Congress debated in the Senate; fashions in Washington, DC; flowers and vegetables seen in DC.
Show less
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, June 18, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include reports of a snow storm in Vermont; Apportionment Bill passed in the Senate; Tariff being considered in the House of Representatives; distribution of the proceeds of the public lands; description of work in the Senate; Locofocos (Democrats) and...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include reports of a snow storm in Vermont; Apportionment Bill passed in the Senate; Tariff being considered in the House of Representatives; distribution of the proceeds of the public lands; description of work in the Senate; Locofocos (Democrats) and Whigs in Congress; President Tyler and Congress.
Show less
- Title
- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, June 25, 1842
- Description
-
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include different rules and protocols in the House of Representatives and the Senate such as the one hour rule; President Tyler and the Whigs in Congress; Apportionment Bill; Locofoco (Democrat) opposition to districting of States; Tariff being considered...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include different rules and protocols in the House of Representatives and the Senate such as the one hour rule; President Tyler and the Whigs in Congress; Apportionment Bill; Locofoco (Democrat) opposition to districting of States; Tariff being considered in the House of Representatives; duty on wool; Distribution Act; rumor of a Cabinet break-up by President Tyler.
Show less
- Title
- Letter to Pliny Corbin, July 13, 1842
- Description
-
Topics include workload of Congress and industriousness of majority members in the Senate and the House; relationship of Whigs and Locofocos (Democrats) in Congress and relationship of Congress to President Tyler; Tariff Bill and expected Presidential veto.
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, April 22, 1822
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include date of adjournment; appropriations for different departments of government; federal revenue.
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, April 8, 1822
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include date of adjournment; health of Representative John Randolph (VA).
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, December 20, 1820
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include debate in Congress over the establishment of a system of domestic manufactures.
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, December 24, 1821
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include slowness of mail; Bankruptcy bill.
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, December 3, 1821
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include traveling from Albany, NY to Washington, DC; beginning of Congressional session and search for a new Speaker of the House; lodgings in Washington, DC.
- Title
- Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, February 15, 1824
- Description
-
Letter to son. Topics include Congressional caucus on the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, with 64 of 69 votes for William Crawford for President and 57 votes for Albert Gallatin for Vice-President; no Vermont representatives or Senators participated in the caucus.