Letters Home From Congress

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 detail his frustrations serving as a Senator in the minority party during the era of Roosevelt and the New Deal; his activities on the Judiciary Committee; and foreign affairs topics 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: https://bioguide.congress.gov/

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14 Tariff -- United States. 14 Taylor Zachary 1784-1850. 13 Slavery -- United States. 11 Washington (D.C.) -- Social life and customs. 10 Democratic Party (U.S.). 10 Missouri compromise. 8 Boardinghouses -- Washington (D.C.). 8 United States Congress -- Constituent communication. 8 Whig Party (U.S.). 7 Adams John Quincy 1767-1848. 6 Great Britain -- Treaties, etc. -- United States -- 1842 Aug. 9. 5 Clay Henry 1777-1852. 5 Debts, Public -- United States. 5 Dueling. 5 Foot Solomon 1802-1866. 5 Jackson Andrew 1767-1845. 5 Kansas -- Politics and government -- 1854-1861. 5 Public lands -- United States. 4 Monroe James 1758-1831. 4 Polk James K. (James Knox) 1795-1849. 4 Seminole War, 1st, 1817-1818. 3 Bankruptcy -- Law and legislation -- United States. 3 Barron James 1769-1851. 3 Buchanan James 1791-1868. 3 Cabinet officers -- United States. 3 Calhoun John C. (John Caldwell) 1782-1850. 3 Crawford William Harris 1772-1834. 3 Decatur Stephen 1779-1820. 3 Marsh George Perkins 1801-1882. 3 Texas -- Annexation to the United States. 3 United States Congress -- Powers and duties. 3 United States Congress House -- Election Districts. 2 Ashburton Alexander Baring Baron 1774-1848. 2 Brown John 1800-1859. 2 Elections -- United States -- 1824. 2 Fourth of July celebrations. 2 Lafayette Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier marquis de 1757-1834. 2 Morrill Justin S. (Justin Smith) 1810-1898. 2 Phelps Samuel Shethar 1793-1855. 2 Pierce Franklin 1804-1869. 2 Princeton (Steamship). 2 Randolph John 1773-1833. 2 Tariff on wool. 2 United States Congress -- Salaries, etc. 2 United States Patent and Trademark Office. 2 Webster Daniel 1782-1852. 1 Amistad (Schooner). 1 Antislavery movements -- United States. 1 Banks Nathaniel Prentiss 1816-1894. 1 Berrien John MacPherson 1781-1856. 1 Billings Frederick 1823-1890. 1 Bounties, Military -- United States. 1 Brown Jacob 1775-1828. 1 Burwell William A. (William Armisted) 1780-1821. 1 Byron George Gordon Byron Baron 1788-1824. 1 Chipman John Smith 1800-1869. 1 Cookman George G. (George Grimston) 1800-1841. 1 Cuban question -- To 1895. 1 Dixon James 1814-1873. 1 Douglas Stephen Arnold 1813-1861. 1 Edwards Henry W. (Henry Waggaman) 1779-1847. 1 Evans Josiah J. (Josiah James) 1786-1858. 1 Gallatin A. E. (Albert Eugene) 1881-1952. 1 Giddings Joshua R. (Joshua Reed) 1795-1864. 1 Gilmer Thomas W. (Thomas Walker) 1802-1844. 1 Government travel -- Washington (D.C.). 1 Government travel. 1 Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829. 1 Green Willis. 1 Henderson John 1795-1857. 1 Influenza. 1 Kennon Beverley 1793-1844. 1 Livermore Arthur 1766-1853. 1 Mason Armistead Thompson 1787-1819. 1 McCarty John M. (John Mason) d. 1852. 1 McDuffie George 1790-1851. 1 Meacham James 1810-1856. 1 Media -- Political aspects -- United States. 1 Mexican War, 1846-1848. 1 Military pensions -- United States. 1 Mumford George d. 1818. 1 New Orleans -- Battle of, New Orleans, La., 1815. 1 Old Senate Chamber (United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.). 1 Oregon question. 1 Paine Charles 1799-1853. 1 Palmer William Adams 1781-1860. 1 Partridge Alden 1785-1854. 1 Phelps Elisha 1779-1847. 1 Pitkin Timothy 1766-1847. 1 Polk Sarah Childress 1803-1891. 1 Post office buildings -- Vermont -- Barnard. 1 Postmasters general. 1 Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873. Greek slave. 1 Presidents -- United States -- Nomination. 1 Public buildings -- Washington (D.C.). 1 Railroad travel. 1 Rich Charles 1771-1824. 1 Scott Winfield 1786-1866. 1 Sherwood Samuel Burr. 1 Slave trade -- Africa. 1 Slavery -- Florida. 1 Smith John Gregory 1818-1891. 1 Soldiers -- Vermont. 1 Southard Samuel L. (Samuel Lewis) 1787-1842. 1 Southey Robert 1774-1843 -- Vision of judgement. 1 Speeches, addresses, etc., American. 1 Stevens James 1768-1835. 1 Taylor William 1788-1846. 1 Thompson Jacob 1810-1885. 1 United States -- Appropriations and expenditures. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War -- 1861-1865. 1 United States Congress -- House Buildings. 1 United States Congress -- Rules and practice. 1 United States Congress Committee on the Public Lands. 1 United States Congress House -- Election districts. 1 United States Congress House -- Speakers. 1 United States Congress House Committee on the Territories. 1 United States Department of the Treasury. 1 United States Dept. of the Treasury. 1 United States Navy Department. 1 United States Pension Bureau. 1 United States Post Office Department. 1 United States Supreme Court. 1 United States War Department. 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.
Miniature of Letter to James A. Paddock, April 7, 1822
Letter to James A. Paddock, April 7, 1822
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    • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
    • Description: Topics include Gold Decision of the Supreme Court; lengthy commentary, with quotations from Court decisions, regarding a shift in favor of the Government and against citizen's property and rights.
    • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
    Miniature of Letter to Eunice Todd Crafts, December 19, 1818
    Letter to Eunice Todd Crafts, December 19, 1818
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      • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
      • Description: Topics include United States Daily.
      • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
      Miniature of Letter to Eunice Crafts, May 16, 1824
      Letter to Eunice Crafts, May 16, 1824
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        • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
        • Description: Topics include May 11, 1935 editorial in the New York Times about Austin's criticism of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
        • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
        Miniature of Letter to Eunice Crafts, January 2, 1825
        Letter to Eunice Crafts, January 2, 1825
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          • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
          • Description: Topics include Supreme Court; speech by Senator Borah; President Roosevelt and the centralization of power in the Federal Government; enclosed speech by Austin to a Greek Society, Ahepa, on the Constitution, the Supreme Court, and the New Deal.
          • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
          Miniature of Letter to Col. Joseph Scott, March 23, 1820
          Letter to Col. Joseph Scott, March 23, 1820
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            • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
            • Description: Topics include vacation with President and Mrs. Herbert Hoover outside of Savannah, Georgia on the boat Sequoia; Georgia and Florida coast observations.
            • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
            Miniature of Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, January 4, 1824
            Letter to Samuel P. Crafts, January 4, 1824
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              • Creator: Crafts, Samuel Chandler, 1768-1853.
              • Description: Submitted by Mr. Austin. March 13, 1935.
              • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
              Miniature of Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 28, 1844
              Letter to Mary N. Collamer, February 28, 1844
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                • Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865.
                • Description: Topics include Court Bill hearings in the Judiciary Committee, and includes an excerpt.
                • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
                Miniature of Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 25, 1856
                Letter to Mary N. Collamer, December 25, 1856
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                  • Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865.
                  • Description: Topics include labor strikes; lengthy report of a trip by a group of Senators to Puerto Rico.
                  • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
                  Miniature of Letter to Mary N. Collamer, May 9, 1858
                  Letter to Mary N. Collamer, May 9, 1858
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                    • Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865.
                    • Description: Topics include filibuster and a petition for cloture related to the Anti-Lynching Bill.
                    • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress
                    Miniature of Letter to William Collamer, January 11, 1849
                    Letter to William Collamer, January 11, 1849
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                      • Creator: Collamer, Jacob, 1791-1865.
                      • Description: Topics include Governor Aiken's open letter.
                      • Parent Collections: Letters Home From Congress