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
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).
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. Show less
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include treaty between Great Britain and the United States finally approved by the Senate after four long days of discussion, surmounting strong opposition by a vote of 39 to 9; continued deadlock on Tariff Bill; Treasury statement to the House stating... Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include treaty between Great Britain and the United States finally approved by the Senate after four long days of discussion, surmounting strong opposition by a vote of 39 to 9; continued deadlock on Tariff Bill; Treasury statement to the House stating that all funds on hand had been expended and asking for authority for more Treasury Notes; impact of governmental inaction on the Tariff Bill on factories and the importation of foreign goods. Show less
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Tariff Bill passed by Senate and sent to the President; efforts by Locofocos (Democrats) to oppose the Tariff Bill; Senate split on Tariff bill with twenty-five Whigs for, twenty Locofocos (Democrats) against, and five southern Whigs against, but... Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include Tariff Bill passed by Senate and sent to the President; efforts by Locofocos (Democrats) to oppose the Tariff Bill; Senate split on Tariff bill with twenty-five Whigs for, twenty Locofocos (Democrats) against, and five southern Whigs against, but Senator John Henderson (MS) was absent and Senator John Berrien (GA) did not vote; discussions about whether President Tyler will sign the bill what will happen if it is vetoed; treaty between Great Britain and the United States; Government band which plays in front of the Capitol every Thursday and at the Presidents on Saturday evenings; theatre performances; public gardens; Locofocos (Democrats) in Vermont. Show less
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
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.
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include President Tyler and the Tariff Bill; Tariff Bill passed, 116 to 112, by the House despite opposition from Locofocos (Democrats) and some Southern Whigs and a threatened veto; Tariff Bill now in the Senate where there are 20 Locofocos (Democrats)... Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include President Tyler and the Tariff Bill; Tariff Bill passed, 116 to 112, by the House despite opposition from Locofocos (Democrats) and some Southern Whigs and a threatened veto; Tariff Bill now in the Senate where there are 20 Locofocos (Democrats) and 30 Whigs, but 5 southern Whigs who will cast the deciding votes on passage; Vermont State Whig Convention; Governor Paine (VT); Henry Clay's potential candidacy for President; Craft's feelings on being elected for the remained of Judge Samuel Prentiss' Senate term; rumored changes in President Tyler's cabinet; Daniel Webster, Lord Ashburton and a prospect of a settlement of disputes with Great Britain. Show less
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. Show less
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
Letter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include attendance at a church meeting in the Representatives Hall in the Capitol with a eulogy for Rev. Cookman, a former chaplain of Congress who was lost on the steamship President; Senate debate on the Tariff Bill and the unlikelihood that it will be... Show moreLetter to daughter and son-in-law. Topics include attendance at a church meeting in the Representatives Hall in the Capitol with a eulogy for Rev. Cookman, a former chaplain of Congress who was lost on the steamship President; Senate debate on the Tariff Bill and the unlikelihood that it will be altered much from the version passed in the House; expected veto of the Tariff Bill by President Tyler; Locofoco (Democrat) opposition to the Tariff Bill; treaty between United States and Great Britain. Show less
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
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
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
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.
