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 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 minority Senator 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
Time Period Covered: 1818-1941
Parent Collections
Related Archival Collection(s)
Warren R. Austin Collection
Crafts Family Collection
Collamer Family Papers
Published: September 12, 2006, University of Vermont, Bailey/Howe Library, Special Collections
Rights: Requests to reproduce this item should be sent to the UVM Libraries' Center for Digital Initiatives at cdi@uvm.edu. For more information, see http://cdi.uvm.edu/about/rights. More information.
Browse Options
Creator(s)
Format(s)
- text [40]
Genre(s)
- letter [40]
Topic(s)
- Foot, Solomon, 1802-1866. [5]
- Kansas -- Politics and government -- 1854-1861 [5]
- Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850 [5]
- United States. Congress -- Constituent communication [5]
- Democratic Party (U.S.) [4]
- Texas -- Annexation to the United States [3]
- Whig Party (U.S.) [3]
- Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848 [2]
- Brown, John, 1800-1859. [2]
- Morrill, Justin S. (Justin Smith), 1810-1898 [2]
- Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869. [2]
- Princeton (Steamship) [2]
- Slavery -- United States [2]
- Tariff -- United States [2]
- United States. Patent Office. [2]
- Amistad (Schooner) [1]
- Antislavery movements -- United States [1]
- Bankruptcy -- Law and legislation -- United States [1]
- Banks, Nathaniel Prentiss, 1816-1894 [1]
- Billings, Frederick, 1823-1890. [1]
- Bounties, Military -- United States. [1]
- Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850 [1]
- Chipman, John Smith, 1800-1869 [1]
- Cuban question -- To 1895. [1]
- Dixon, James, 1814-1873 [1]
- Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861 [1]
- Dueling [1]
- Evans, Josiah J. (Josiah James), 1786-1858. [1]
- Giddings, Joshua R. (Joshua Reed), 1795-1864 [1]
- Gilmer, Thomas W. (Thomas Walker), 1802-1844 [1]
- Government travel [1]
- Government travel -- Washington (D.C.) [1]
- Green, Willis [1]
- Kennon, Beverley, 1793-1844 [1]
- Meacham, James, 1810-1856 [1]
- Mexican War, 1846-1848 [1]
- Oregon question [1]
- Polk, Sarah Childress, 1803-1891 [1]
- Post office buildings -- Vermont -- Barnard [1]
- Postmasters general [1]
- Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873. Greek slave [1]
- Public buildings -- Washington (D.C.) [1]
- Railroad travel [1]
- Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866 [1]
- Slave trade -- Africa [1]
- Smith, John Gregory, 1818-1891. [1]
- Soldiers -- Vermont [1]
- Speeches, addresses, etc., American [1]
- Taylor, William, 1788-1846. [1]
- Thompson, Jacob, 1810-1885. [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [1]
- United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Public Lands [1]
- United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Territories [1]
- United States. Dept. of the Treasury [1]
- United States. Navy Dept. [1]
- United States. Pension Bureau [1]
- United States. Post Office Dept. [1]
- United States. Supreme Court [1]
- United States. War Dept. [1]
- Upshur, A. P. (Abel Parker), 1790-1844. [1]
- Vermont State House (Montpelier, Vt.) [1]
- White House (Washington, D.C.) [1]
- Wickliffe, C. A. (Charles Anderson), 1788-1869 [1]
-
- | 16 - 40 of 40 |
-
- Thumbnails | List
Browsing by:
Author: ("Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865")
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 19, 1859
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1859-12-19
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include John Brown and proposed investigation of his supporters.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 20, 1857
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1857-12-20
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include opposition of Senator Stephen Douglas (IL) to the position of President James Buchanan on Kansas; new hall for House of Representatives.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 25, 1856
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1856-12-25
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include Agriculture Patent Office Reports to be mailed.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 26, 1858
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1858-12-26
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include new Senate chambers; mailing of government documents and speeches by Collamer; social life.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 3, 1848
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1848-12-03
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include traveling to Washington, DC; new session of Congress; lottery for seats in the House.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 13, 1859
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1859-02-13
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include acquisition of Cuba; Secretary of the Interior Jacob Thompson.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 14, 1849
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1849-02-14
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; traveling to Vermont by rail.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 17, 1844
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1844-02-17
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include party hosted by Postmaster General Charles Wickliffe; George Perkins Marsh; Democrats and Whigs; dueling.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 24, 1856
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1856-02-24
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include invitation to dinner with President Franklin Pierce; Kansas and the Senate Committee on Territories; Representative James Meacham (VT) and alcohol; Representative Justin Morrill (VT).
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 28, 1844
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1844-02-28
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include war steam ship Princeton explosion, killing Secretary of State Abel Upshur, Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer, Chief of the Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs Captain Beverly Kennon and others.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 3, 1856
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1856-02-03
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include John Gregory Smith; receptions of cabinet Secretaries and President Franklin Pierce; Representative Nathaniel Banks (MA).
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 7, 1848
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1848-02-07
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include speech in House by Collamer; Hiram Powers statue of the Greek Slave.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, January 19, 1846
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1846-01-19
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include Representative Solomon Foot (VT); death of Representative William Taylor (VA); President James Polk; Representative Cornelius Darragh (PA); Representative George Perkins Marsh (VT); Representative John Chipman (MI).
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, January 26, 1845
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1845-01-26
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include annexation of Texas debate and vote; speeches by Collamer and Representative George Perkins Marsh (VT) on Texas.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, January 30, 1849
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1849-01-30
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; possible Cabinet appointments.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, July 8, 1848
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1848-07-08
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include question of slavery being admitted into newly acquired territories; presidential speeches in the House.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, June 26, 1856
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1856-06-26
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include Kansas.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, March 2, 1862
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1862-03-02
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include Civil War; slaves and slavery; health of Vermont troops.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, March 5, 1849
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1849-03-05
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include inauguration of President Zachary Taylor; appointment of Collamer as Postmaster General.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, May 15, 1858
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1858-05-15
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include constituent business.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, May 9, 1858
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1858-05-09
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include death of Senator Josiah Evans (SC); Representative Justin Morrill; Kansas.
Title: Letter to Mary N. Collamer, November 27, 1845
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1845-11-27
Resource type: letter
Letter to wife. Topics include securing a seat in the House chamber; traveling to Washington.
Title: Letter to William Collamer, January 11, 1849
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1849-01-11
Resource type: letter
Letter to son. Topics include constituent business regarding William Billings and the East Barnard, Vermont post office.
Title: Letter to William Collamer, January 19, 1859
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1859-01-19
Resource type: letter
Letter to son. Topics include Tariff; Pacific Rail Road; African Slave Trade; Amistad; Vermont State House; mailing of government documents by Collamer; Joint Resolution introduced by Senator Solomon Foot (VT) on bounty land law; Bankruptcy Bill.
Title: Letter to William Collamer, January 24, 1848
Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865
Date: 1848-01-24
Resource type: letter
Letter to son. Topics include General Zachary Taylor.
-
- | 16 - 40 of 40 |
-
- Thumbnails | List