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 - 8 of 8)
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- Letter to Mary Collamer, January 24, 1847
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Letter to daughter. Topics include Mexican-American War; President James Polk; General Zachary Taylor; General Winfield Scott.
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- Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 14, 1849
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Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; traveling to Vermont by rail.
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- Letter to Mary N. Collamer, January 30, 1849
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Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; possible Cabinet appointments.
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- Letter to Mary N. Collamer, March 5, 1849
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Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; appointment of Collamer as Postmaster General.
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- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, August 14, 1842
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Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include veto of Tariff Bill by President Tyler; Southern and Western Whig opinions to leave Washington without a Tariff Bill leaving the Federal Government without revenue; strategy meetings of Whigs from the Senate and House; idea to give up on public...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include veto of Tariff Bill by President Tyler; Southern and Western Whig opinions to leave Washington without a Tariff Bill leaving the Federal Government without revenue; strategy meetings of Whigs from the Senate and House; idea to give up on public lands piece of Tariff Bill; treaty between Great Britain and the United States is before the Senate, with possible Locofoco (Democrat) opposition to it; the treaty settles boundary questions from St. Croix to the Rocky Mountains.
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- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, July 24, 1842
- Description
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Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Senate debate on the new Tariff Bill with a bare majority in favor; Crafts in favor of Tariff Bill as passed by the House; frauds practiced by manufacturers and importers; expected veto of Tariff Bill by President Tyler because of the continuation...
Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Senate debate on the new Tariff Bill with a bare majority in favor; Crafts in favor of Tariff Bill as passed by the House; frauds practiced by manufacturers and importers; expected veto of Tariff Bill by President Tyler because of the continuation of the distribution of the proceeds of the public lands among the states; current state of the Treasury; Daniel Webster and Lord Ashburton's negotiation over the boundary between the United States and Canada, in particular the northeastern boundary.
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- Letter to Nathan and Mary Hill, June 25, 1842
- Description
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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.
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- Title
- Letter to William Collamer, January 24, 1848
- Description
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Letter to son. Topics include General Zachary Taylor.