MVB Papers (DLC)
"The Martin Van Buren Papers, one of twenty-three presidential collections in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, contains more than 6,000 items dating from 1787 to circa 1910. The bulk of the material dates from the 1820s, when Van Buren (1782-1862) was a U.S. senator from New York, through his service as secretary of state and vice president in the Andrew Jackson administrations (1829-1837), to his own presidency (1837-1841) and through the decade thereafter when he made unsuccessful bids to return to the presidency with the Democratic and Free Soil parties. Included are correspondence, autobiographical materials, notes and other writings, drafts of messages to Congress in 1837 and 1838, and other speeches, legal and estate records, miscellany, and family items.
The collection primarily consists of letters received by Van Buren from other individuals, as well as copies, drafts, transcripts, and photocopies of letters written by him. Correspondents include George Bancroft, Thomas Hart Benton, Francis P. Blair, James Buchanan, law partner Benjamin F. Butler (1795-1858), Churchill C. Cambreleng, John A. Dix, John Fairfield, Azariah Cutting Flagg, Henry D. Gilpin, James Hamilton, Jr., Jesse Hoyt, Charles Jared Ingersoll, Andrew Jackson, Amos Kendall, William L. Marcy, Louis McClane, Richard Elliot Parker, James Kirke Paulding, Joel R. Poinsett, James K. Polk, Thomas Ritchie, William Cabell Rives, Andrew Stevenson, Levi Woodbury, and Silas Wright.
The Calendar of the Papers of Martin Van Buren created by Elizabeth Howard West for the Manuscript Division in 1910 provides a list and index for the general correspondence contained in the original collection up to that date. Some 150 letters received by the Library of Congress after 1910 are not represented in the calendar. These items have been interfiled within Series 2 of the collection. Typescripts of letters can also be found in Series 7, Miscellany. A finding aid to the current Van Buren Papers collection is available online.
Note that this site is limited to the Martin Van Buren Papers collection and does not include all documents by, about, or related to Van Buren in the Library of Congress. The Library’s Manuscript Division holds additional Van Buren-related documents pertaining to his family and his long and varied political career in New York and Washington, as well as his role in evolving party politics in his era. These documents are located in the collections of other individuals, including Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jackson Donelson, James K. Polk, William L. Marcy, William C. Rives, Charlotte Cushman, Duff Green, Reverdy Johnson, Andrew Stevenson, and Nicholas P. Trist, and in the family papers of the Blair, Bancroft-Bliss, Henry Clay, Samuel Smith, and Singleton families."
"This collection of Martin Van Buren Papers is arranged into eight series and oversize. Series 8 of the collection contains the newer additions. These are grouped by the year the addition was received or processed as part of the collection. The bulk of the collection was captured on 35 reels of microfilm, the scans of which comprise the bulk of this online collection. A list of the series follows.
- Series 1, Autobiography, 1854-1862 (Reels 1-3)
- Series 2, General Correspondence, 1787-1868 (Reels 4-34)
- Series 3, Additional Correspondence, 1811-1853 (Reel 34)
- Series 4, Messages, 1837-1838 (Reel 35)
- Series 5, Legal Record Book, 1807-1813 (Reel 35)
- Series 6, Estate Record Book, 1862-1863 (Reel 35)
- Series 7, Miscellany, 1814-1910 (not microfilmed; scanned from originals)
- Series 8, Addenda, 1799-1862 (Reel 36 and not filmed; some scanned from originals)
- Oversize, 1837-1839 (not microfilmed; scanned from originals)"
https://www.loc.gov/collections/martin-van-buren-papers/about-this-colle...
Print DocumentDocuments in this Collection:
It is a great while since I have had the pleasure to hear from you. I have been confined at home almost all the summer and have had a sick family. We look with great interest to your state, but we do not understand the state of parties with you. At one time we see a Convention at Utica, which makes one selection for governor, and more recently at Herkemer a different one. To me I presume we can... Continue Reading
Sender: Philip Norborne Nicholas
Recipient: MVB
Since mine of Sept. 20. answering yours of Aug. 30. I have recd. that of Sept. 28. with a copy of the Report of the Comte. on Roads & canals. I have not been able to read more of it than the part which you notice. The Comte. have transcended all preceding advocates of the doctrine they espouse in appealing to the old articles of Confederation for its support. Whatever might have been the... Continue Reading
Sender: James Madison
Recipient: MVB
John is getting better & I am on my way to Columbia to inspect the enemies forces about to be mustered there to day. The Patroon called upon me & informed me that Webster had written to him proposing a mess but that he would prefer to be with us. This together with the fact that after our total overthrow in 1824 he left Mr King & went with me to the great annoyance of the others... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Churchill Caldom Cambreleng
You must not induce me to do a thing I would be ashamed of. It is the most pleasant reflection of my life that I have never been wanting to any person who had claims upon me. The gentleman we have spoken of has such claims. Although he did not hold out to the last still his intentions in 1824 were to sustain me as far as he could agt. the adverse results of the day. The spirit was good but the... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Churchill Caldom Cambreleng
I cannot do better than to send you the enclosed ^from McLane^. I see we shall not do as well we did last year. I cannot conceive of a greater disappointment than not to mess with you & Hamilton. I wish to god as you say they were all like you & me free from personal dislikes. We must see when we get down what is to be done. Dont forget my bets. I cannot think of letting this election go... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Churchill Caldom Cambreleng
We have triumphed at all points Gov Legislature & Congress your corporation trade to the contrary notwithstanding. You & Hamilton & <Wright> have been too much scared I presume to have done what you if you had had the true faith you would have done. Our majority in both branches will be large & Rochesters majority likewise. Show this to Campbell & my friends &... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Churchill Caldom Cambreleng
As you predicted I lost my election of Senator, though from a different cause. The Administration took measures to defeat me. I have a chain of evidence that will conclusively establish the fact, when the proper time arrives for that purpose. I should, however, have beaten them all, but for some other misfortunes. Three members friendly to me were detained at home by sickness, one of whose... Continue Reading
Sender: Cornelius Peter Van Ness
Recipient: MVB
According to promise I now enclose you a copy of Mr Jeffersons letter to me. I do this in the most positive confidence that you suffer no person to take a copy of it or to take extracts from it or to take it out of your presence so that it may find its way into the papers. I have no objection to its being read by your friend.
I congratulate you most sincerely on the general result of the election... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Perley Keyes
The Election is over, and Clinton has again succeeded. Aside from this, the triumph is complete—as it relates to Clinton, his success is almost a total defeat. He owes his Election to local and transient causes, and he must be satisfied that this is his last term under the general state of things.
Since my arrival here I find that the Federlist are endeavouring to create the impression among the... Continue Reading
Sender: William Christian Bouck
Recipient: MVB
I dont care a fiddlestick about your pretended mistake. But I had no sooner got out of the smoke of that good old Town of Kinderhook but which has become so dangerous a place since the Philistines have taken possession of it, that I discovered that I had allowed you $193 without athe least Shew of Justice. You must <repaid> it if you expect prosperity here or happiness hereafter. I find... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Peter I. Hoes
I have been for weeks here still confined to the sick bed of a dear son or your kind favour should ^would^ have been sooner attended to. The general complaint abroad is that our ^state^ politics are inexplicable & although to us they are very simple we must admit that <certain> circumstances justify the <complaint> ^opinion^. I shall try to make you understand them. Our state you... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Philip Norborne Nicholas
What has appeared so mysterious to others–the Tangled skein of N.Y. politics begins to have some snarls for ourselves. M. M. Noah’s attacks upon yourself and the Regency-The american republishing the observations of the Argus &c &c makes this drama some what confused. Noah’s attack upon you has an evident tendency to secure you a unanimous vote from the Republicans unless some untoward... Continue Reading
Sender: William Learned Marcy
Recipient: MVB
I have not heard from you. You must remember that I have work on hand to send documents &c to the lords of the Legislature & must not wait for news. Make a civil answer confidentially for me to the enclosed. I am not certain whether it is well or ill intended but as usual presume the former. You will of course make such a reply as will be suited to either event. Mr Wright Mr Keyes Mr... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Benjamin Franklin Butler
The enclosed copy was prepared some time since but at the moment I intended transmitting it my eldest child fell extremely sick which engrossed all my thoughts and rendered me a delinquent in the execution of my promise.
I saw Edwards some days since. He promised not to exert any influence against you but he is a bird of night and cannot bear the lustre of another reputation. I also called upon... Continue Reading
Sender: John Church Hamilton
Recipient: MVB
In pursuance of your request I have examined my late Fathers Papers for the evidence of his opinions upon the extent of the Constitutional Powers of Congress in reference to the subject of Internal Improvements and send you the result.
I find a Paper in his hand writing without date but from its content evidently written either in the year 1797 or 1798 and delivered by him at that time to Genl... Continue Reading
Sender: John Church Hamilton
Recipient: MVB
I cheerfully embrace the opportunity which you have offered me, of expressing my opinions upon the subject of a Bankrupt act.
I do not know whether to refer the extreme anxiety which has been awakened upon this subject, to the promise which it unfolds of an ample harvest to the lawyers, or to facility and thoughtfulness <illegible> with which not novelties are usually embraced. But I am... Continue Reading
Sender: Isaac Stoutenburgh Hone
Recipient: MVB
Your letter of the 20th was received to day with a package of documents for which I thank If you have a Copy of those which accompanied the message from the State Department, I pray you to send them to me. John informed me of a letter he has recently received from you which I have not seen. It reminded me however that in reading over Washingtons Letters to my father there was one in which... Continue Reading
Sender: James Alexander Hamilton
Recipient: MVB
The court of error met yesterday at which most of its members attended. Nothing has yet transpired at all calculated to impair our confidence in the success of your reelection. Judge Burt et omne genus brought up with them the glorious intelligence that you had gone over body & soul to Mr Adams and that Judge Betts' nomination was the first fruit of your conversion or apostacy (which shall it... Continue Reading
Sender: William Learned Marcy
Recipient: MVB
You are a strange man. I have waited sometime to see whether you would write me without a previous movement on my part. This is wrong. You ought to take into the account that whilst you are a gentleman of perfect leisure, I have in addition to the business of my station, a most extensive correspondence to carry on; at all times onerous, but at this time particularly so, Events here are so rapidly... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Charles Edward Dudley
I take the liberty of introducing to you Mr Shelby son of the late Gov. Shelby of Kentucky.
Sender: MVB
Recipient: DeWitt Clinton
I thank you sincerely for your attention to my Hoffman concern & will give you credit on the account of thousands I have lost on your account. Their conduct has been infamous. I wish you would consult with Lawrence who I have requested to purchase the <farm> for me. My recollection of the circumstances in relation to the affair between VSlyck & Luddington are not very distinct. From... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Peter I. Hoes
You will have observed an article in the Argus upon the subject of a national convention. The matter will soon be brought under discussion here & I sincerely wish you would bestow upon it, some portion of your attention. It was first suggested to me by the Vice President; he & Mr. Ingham of Penn. are the only persons, with whom I have as yet consulted. They think it essential. It will be... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Thomas Ritchie
I hear that you have taken seriously some sportive hap-hazard remarks of my Lady, as supposing them to be derived from me. What she told you herself on that head, you may rely upon. I have nothing to say in your disparagement, and, if I had, should not be likely to say it in my family, where politics are never (or very superficially introduced.
I was reminded of the above by meeting with the... Continue Reading
Sender: Joseph Gales Jr.
Recipient: MVB
The B. System has existed 500 years in England & was last year revised under the supervision of the Lord Chancellor Elder. In France a Bankrupt System has existed since the time of Louis the 14th. In Spain since 1787, in Italy Holland Ireland Scotland in short in every commercial country it has been successfully introduced & never abolished. It has been coeval with trade has grown up with... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
As late as 1820 the defects of the Bankrupt System in England were admitted & that the public opinion was that the system as it then existed was not a public benefit.
Authority to examine the Wife struck out. agt principle. What would be criminal in others justified when done by the Wife has been land. The case of Madam Lavalette acquitted not only by the opinion of the world but by the laws... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
A man may be a Bankrupt without being insolvent.
The first ^regular^ insolvent law was proposed in the reign of Charles the 2nd from which has been made the model for all that pertained and was adopted in the States. The Judges Courts at Guild Hall divide cases of insolvency in one room whilst those of Bankruptcy are divided by commissiones in the an other.
The states ^& colonies^ understood... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB