Rufus King Papers (NHi)
"The collection contains the papers documenting the political career and private interests of Federalist statesman Rufus King. The collection includes official and private correspondence with other political figures in the early history of the United States, letterbooks, account books, notebooks, financial documents, diaries, memoranda, and essays." http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/nyhs/king/
Print DocumentDocuments in this Collection:
The Republican members of the Legislature have had a meeting here & with great unanimity nominated the Vice President as our candidate for Gov, of which notice has been sent to him. Some of our friends think it is dangerous to support him under existing circumstances and all apprehend that he may decline & that his doing so would throw us into great confusion unless we could be authorized... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Our Legislature convened again on tuesday and are proceeding with composure and propriety. The convention bill has been discussed for two days and will tomorrow be rejected, it requiring you know two thirds to pass it. The whole subject will then be recommitted to a select committee who will probably report a bill authorising the sense of the people to be taken at the Spring election and if they... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I had hoped to see you here before we rise but as we shall without doubt adjourn in a few days & we do not hear of your coming, I cannot promise myself that pleasure. The papers have informed you of all that has been done, on the stage which I hope you may be able to approve. What has passed behind the scenes they have not spoken of because they were not advised. Still there has been a great... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
I have received yours covering your communications to Washington for which I sincerely thank you. Whatever may ^be^ the result I can now have no hesitation in believing that the circumstance of having my name mentioned must be highly advantageous to me. On the other side you have a copy of the letter rcd. to day from the Secretary. I am sorry for the delay for it increases the difficulties of my... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Yours of the 28th. I have this day received. If as you supposed you owed any duty to the public in relation to this matter, it appears to me that what you have already done, amounts to a full discharge of it, as it certainly does in the most ample manner of the claims of private friendship. With the President I do not see that any farther communication can with propriety be had; & Mr. As... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I am not surprized by the Receit of your letter of the 18th instant not only have the Proceedings at Washington been vacillating, and as I believe unprincipled; but the Correspondence of Mr S. T. has been so extraordinary, that were the case my own, I should in reply observe much Caution, with a decided Reserve, especially upon the Subject, concerning which, there has been on his part an... Continue Reading
Sender: Rufus King
Recipient: MVB
It is difficult, if not impossible for one who is not acquainted with the views, & Combinations of the executive Power, to form a correct ^opinion^ or to give unqualified advice, respecting a particular appointment, which in itself may be not only expedient, but excellent; yet when viewed in connection, with other appointments, with which it may be combined, and of which it may form the only... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Yours of the 12th was received at the moment of my departure for Columbia where I have since been confined by indisposition. I have however entirely recovered & in a few days go next on some private business. The fact of the offer of the mission to you had been previously communicated to me & I am happy to learn that you have found no objection to its acceptance. When will you go. If it... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I shall, accidents excepted be down about the 20th., & will bring my two sons with me, the oldest to indulge him a little & then send him to West Point, & the next to leave at Jamaica; provided a letter which I expected before this, to have received from Mr. John A King should warrant my doing so. I want very much to visit Boston, but am equally anxious to avoid the imputation of... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I enclose you an address & the Secty of N. will read you such parts of a letter I have written him to day as are political. I will keep the V.P. to the settlement of his accounts & their explanation to the people, which together with a public expression of your preference would render our success certain. I will write you again soon
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I enclose you a report which I am told is highly satisfactory to our friends & annoying to our enemies. I have written rather a scolding or fretting letter to the Secy of the Navy to day in the hope of rousing the torpid & hair splitting men at W. to take ground in our favour & have omitted to speak as favorably of our prospects as I might with to propriety have done. I can with... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I have only time to say that since the receipt of yours I have seen the Vice President & stated to him what I understood was reported as his opinion on the Missouri question & he informed me that he had never entertained or expressed the sentiments attributed to him. That he did not think that the restriction unconstitutional nor had he ever questioned its expediency. At some future day I... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I know your goodness will have suggested my apology for not acknowledging the receipt of your two last communications at an earlier period as well as for not ^now^ giving to them that minute reply, which under other circumstances it would give me pleasure to do. The truth is that for the last few days I have scarcely had time to take my regular meals & am at this moment pressed by at least... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Yours of the 25th. & 28th. have been duly received & I return you my thanks for your prompt attention to a subject so interesting to us. There has been a degree of coyness between our friends on this subject which has been troublesome to me. I was in hopes it would be peculiarly in your power to dispel it, as I know the extent of their confidence in & the warmth of their friendship... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Your conjecture as to the disease of my brother before my arrival was correct. I felt much distressed the day I spent with you by the apprehension that such might be the result, although the accounts I had received all contemplated a protracted sickness. If however I had left Nyork the Saturday before, I would not it appears (in consequence of the delay of the boat) have been in season. I found... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Was your jaunt to Boston a pleasant one, & how is your health. What says Otis, is he not sorry that he has resigned. You have doubtless seen the Washington Republican & the attack on humble me. I am somewhat at a loss whether to notice it or not. I have not the remotest objection to quarrel with those gentlemen if they desire it, but feel some solicitude about the time. Our political... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I yesterday for the first time, had an opportunity to speak fully to the Chief Justice on the subject of his feelings toward you, which I told you I would do. He called on me and manifesting a disposition to talk freely, I embraced the occasion to say to him that you had understood that he had spoken of you in an unfriendly manner, that as you was conscious that you had not done any thing to... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Yours of the 1st I have this moment received. Mine to you, received before this, will excuse my seeming negligence in not acknowledging the receipt of yours containing the enclosure, although I fear it will still leave me deficient in not expressing with sufficient strength the extent of obligation conferred on me by the matters contained in that enclosure. There must be some mistake in the... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Enclosed is the letter from our friend the Secretary on the subject of Governeurs Speeches. Will you be so good as to inform me soon whether I may say in answer (which I will withhold untill I hear from you) that Johnston told ^it to^ Mr John A King and afterwards confirmed it to you on my request, or as much of it as you please. In my letter to the Secretary I stated that Governeur had said that... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
On the other side you have a Copy of a letter this day received from the Secretary of the Navy with a sketch of one I propose to send in answer on which I wish your advice. It is evident that Monroe is averse to going the whole length to which is young advisers in Nyork wish him to go & that to rescue himself from the embarrassment in, which he is placed Mr Thompson has some how been induced... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
The enclosed Letter will explain to you what we wish. The Vice President is apprized that a copy has been sent to you, as you will see. If he has left Washington, you will see the propriety of sending a speedy answer. That answer must be, My Dear Friend, that in the event of the Vice President's insisting, upon it, you will consent to our wishes. In no other event do we urge it. You will see, how... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
The Republican members of the Legislature held their caucus last night on the subject of Senator to Congress and after a fair temperate & manly debate unanimously concured in the nomination of your hble. Servt. for that place. On the ballot the Votes were for Mr Sanford 24 for myself 58—one of Mr. S. friends and six of mine were absent. The appointment takes place on Tuesday, the utmost... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
I am fear full that I will seem troublesome to you, the extent & warmth of our controversy ^however^ is such that it becomes indispensible that we should trespass on the indulgence of our friends to the utmost allowable limits. Paul Busti of Philadelphia is general agent for the Holland company, Joseph Ellicott is their local agent & his nephew D.E. Evans of our Senate is their agent de... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
I have only time to say to you that the V. President made a triumphant entry into this city & he Genl. Moores were last evening nominated as candidates for Gov & Lieut Gov by one of the most respectable & numerous meetings ever held in this city. I must refer you to the next argus for particulars. The public feeling is highly excited & very favorable to our success.
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Perhaps I was not as explicit on the subject of my last letter as I ought to have been. The Vice President has no doubt of the constitutionality of the restriction, attempted to be imposed on the admission of Missouri nor of the expediency of doing so. His sentiments have always been so & although he could not feel it proper to volunteer his opinion on the subject he would have no hesitation... Continue Reading
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King
Enclosed you have the news in part, unless the other parts of the state turn out very differently our election is safe. The probability is that we succeed in all the branches of the govermnt.
Sender: MVB
Recipient: Rufus King