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:
Your's of the 3d & 27th. ult. have both been received by me and the contents have afforded me much gratification. Believe me it has not been either from an Indifference towards either yourself or those contents that they have remained so long unanswered. Among all the complicated private concerns in which I found myself involved immediately upon my return to this place, I felt a constant... Continue Reading
Sender: John Peter Van Ness
Recipient: MVB
Debts Due MVBuren March 19th. 1805 —
Legacy from
Lucas Goes Decd.
$75.00
John L Goes
–5.00
Notes
Rid <A> Hogeboom
-4<0>.00
Besides
F. Pruyn Esqr
22.00
Interest
AVBuren
–
E <Simnars>
–8.75
A. Fitch
–11.52
P. Vosburgh
-20.00
John. A VBuren
–5..00
MVBuren
–5..00
P. <Mattet>
–... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Columbia County Ss: James Jackson complains of John Stiles in Custody &c for that Whereas John J. Van Alen ^Junr^on the first ~ Day of May ~ one thousand eight hundred and four at the Town of Kinderhook in the County of Columbia, had demised, granted and to Farm, let unto the said James Jackson one dwelling House, one Garden, twenty acres of arable Land, twenty acres of Pasture Land, twenty... Continue Reading
By a statute of the State, it is directed that every person to whom to whom any Legacy is given or bequest made, shall at the time of payment or delivery thereof, give bond in double the amount of such share or legacy with two sufficient sureties, to refund, if there should ultimately be a deficiency of Assets in the hands of the Executors to pay the debts of the Testator. This has never been... Continue Reading
Recipient: MVB
Know all men by these presents that We Abraham Vosburgh & John A. Vosburgh are held & Firmly bound unto Peter L Hogeboom in the sum of twelve hundred & fifty six Dollars & seventy five Cents to be paid to the said Peter his heirs Executors administrators or assigns with Interest, For the Payment whereof We Bind ourselves our heirs, Executors & administrators in the penal sum... Continue Reading
Supreme Court
Wilhelmus Pulver
admr.
James Jackson
Ejectment for lands on the East side of
en dem <Tenvilleger>
Valities Hill under the Fladder & Baker
Pattent
Plaintiff Title
13th. April 1667
1st. Flodder & Baker pattent
15th. may 1669
IId Deed from Baker to Flodder
IIId. Death of Jacob I <illegible> Flodder leaving Jan Jacob his heir at Law... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Supreme Court
Harmin Vosburgh &
John A Vosburgh
advs
James Jackson ex dem
Ejectment
Jno I. V. Alen Junr. & Jam V. LVan Alen
Abrm. Van Buren says, That he understood that a Possession had been taken by Abrm. Vosburgh, Martin Van Buren & Barent Vosburgh of Lot now occupied by James I Van Alen & others the disputed Premises and where Jack now lives about two... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Tobs. D. VBuren—
Principal—
$20
Int—
2.80
E Gridly—
32.77
Int—
8.39
P. Cole—
4.50
Int
“ 70
<Hone> & <Session>—
about—
3.50
A. Peak—
2.25
M. Butler—
7.31
J. Vosburgh—
25.00
M. Gander—
27.78
Int—
3.72
Adam Van Alstyne—
20.00
Int
4.<00>
M.... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Sup-Court
Gilchrist
ads.
Jackson ex dem.
Palmer
1. point.
First there was no settled mode prior to 1771, of conveyance by James Covert.
This appears by the recital to the act of 1771.
2. Johns-234.
Ergo the practice of the Colony is to be regarded in relation to such Conveyances.
Cowp. 201.
The acknowledgmt <was> only legal formality &c.
2. point
That a due acknowledgmt... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
On my return home yesterday the enclosed was handed on from Van Buren wrote on his way to Albany. Could suspicions for one moment have existed injurious to his honour, I conceive they are wholly done away by this letter, for as his declarations are full & unequivical on this Subject
I feel extremely anxious for you to come in on Friday. I wish Van Buren to be appointed, as he would esteem it ... Continue Reading
Court of Errors
John Van Ness Yates
v
John Lansing Junr.
Brief for Argument Feby Term
1811
This action is founded in that part of the Habeas Corpus act which prohibits a person once discharged by Habeas Corpus from being recommitted &c.
The words are
1 Vol. R Laws 288, "That no person who shall be set at large upon any Habeas Corpus shall be again imprisoned for the same offence... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
At a meeting held at the house of Jonas Miller in the town of Granger previous to the last election you asserted–that you could prove in a court of Justice that I had ^written^ a letter last winter to a member of the Legislature “conjuring him to present a report on the petition of Henry Avery & others as matters were working well in the manor and that we would save several hundred votes by... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
When you handed me the note this morning from Mr. Van Buren, the principles upon which I refused pay for it as an advertisement, was, to secure to myself the priviledge of making such comments upon it, as, from the extent to which I have gone in this business as a[n] editor, and the necessary defe[n]ce of my political friends, it [sh]ould be deemed expedient to make. I have thought proper to make... Continue Reading
To the Honorable John Lansing Junr Esqr Chancellor of the State of New York
Humbly Complaining
Shewith unto your Honor your Orator Benjamin Birsdall Junr of the Town of Livingston in the County of Columbia. That in or about the year Seventeen hundred and ninety Six one <illegible> Nicholas Drumm was possessed of a certain lot of Land Lying in the town of Livingston Known by Lot number two... Continue Reading
Sender: Benjamin Birdsall Jr.
The goods of an enemy found in the vessel of a friend are good prize. The goods of a friend found in the vessel of an enemy are not. To guard agt. inconvices of seizure &c. some nations stipulate by treaty that enemy, bottom shall make enemy goods & friendly bottom friendly goods, but this can only be effected by treaty stipulation & is in restraint of the law of nations.
"Every... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Agreeable to your request I called upon Osgood in order to obtain the amount of the Taxes upon the Different Tracts of Land mentioned in your Statement, found in the supervisors Books the following Taxes to wit.
against F. Silvester for land in onieda County–$1..28. no <Taxes> <illegible>
agt. P. Silvester for Do. in Lictcfield Herkimer County. "–46 Cents
agt. — Wyncoop no Christian... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
It is not to the arbitrary mandates of despotic power, it is not to the that your submission is demanded. It is not to the wishes of the ^seductive^ wiles and ^artfull^ blandishments of the corrupt minions of aristocracy, that your attention is called, but ^it is^ to an expression and discussion of the wishes & feelings and sentiments of your representatives. that your consideration is... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
The Committee to whom were referred certain resolutions with the recitals preceeding the same adopted by the honorable the Assembly on the Second day of March 1813, relating to the creation and support of a navy, to the high sense which the honorable the Assembly entertain of the Valour and heroism ^displayed by our Seamen^ to the Justice & propriety of rewarding that valour as particularly... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
The Committee to whom was ^were^ referred th certain resolutions with the rescitals the preceeding the same of M adopted by the Honorable the assembly on the second day of March 1813, relating among other things relating to the creation and support of a navy to the high sense which the Honble. the assembly entertained of the valour and heroism displayed by our seamen ^to^ the Justice &... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Ist. The substance of Banking operations, viz
Ist. The Creation of a fictitious Capital
2d. The substitution of a representative for money.
2dII. The nature of the Business subject to Danger.
Ist. From too great an accumulation of fictitious capital wh[ich] subjects the realities of the country to an irresponsible fund
2d. From the want ^destruction^ of Confiden[ce] in its representative... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
INHABITANTS of CANADA! After thirty years of Peace & prosperity, the United States have been driven to Arms. The injuries & aggressions, the insults & indignities of Great Britain have once more left them no alternative but manly resistance, or unconditional submission.
The Army under my command, has invaded your country, & the Standard of the Union now waves over the Territory of... Continue Reading
Notes of agreement concluded upon this twenty third day of June 1814 Between George Caines & Martin Van Buren, as follows, viz,
Ist. Mr. Van Buren agrees to Loan to Mr. Caines Two Thousand Dollars for three years at an Interest of Seven per cent.
2nd. The said George agrees to purchase of the said Martin his undivided Share of Lot number Eleven in the Whiteborough patent in the Town of... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Know ALL Men BY THESE Presents, THAT I George Caines of the city of Hudson Counsellor at Law am held and firmly bound unto Martin Van Buren of the same place Counsellor at Law in the SUM of Six thousand Dollars, and [intentionally blank] Cents, Current Money of the United States, to be paid to the said Martin Van Buren or to his certain Attorney, Heirs, Executors, Administrators or Assigns. To... Continue Reading
Recipient: MVB
said <illegible>
For value received I promise to Martin Van Buren and Stephen Miller on Order the sum of nine hundred & seventy four Dollars 95/100 thirty days after the date 15th Jany 1814
Recipient: MVB
The United States of America,
against
Brigadier General WILLIAM HULL.
Charges exhibited against Brigadier-General WILLIAM HULL, of the Army of the United States, by order of the Secretary of War, viz.—
I. CHARGE.
TREASON against the United States, between the ninth of April and the seventeenth of August, one thousand eight hundred and twelve.
first specification.
In this—That on the... Continue Reading
Contents of Statements
W. Knaggs — 15th. August asked Hull for Powder who said he did not know whether there was any or not, &c. Capt. Hull <intervened> ^&c^. Capt. Snelling sent down with 50 men. Snelling ordered to return. Informd. Genl of the Landing & rcd. no answer, & subsequent answer. What Henry said about the Declaration of the British officers about the Flag being... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB