The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07
THE VAN buren, PAPERS
IN NATIONAL LIBRARY
"A Valuable Historical Collection
Being Accumulated
There.
RELICS
PRESIDENTIAL

papers left by Martin van buren, eiS"1h
President Of the United States. They were
presented by Mrs. Smith 7. Van Buren,, OF
Fishkill-on-the Hudson, who had been I'M
pressed with the wisdom OF the plan Tor
gathering all such relics Of the notable fig
ures in our national history In the one place
where they could be properly preserved and
always readily accessible TO historical
scholars.
Readers of this correspondence will re-
call the public-spirited act Of the family
OF the late Montgomery Blair, in present
ing to the library Mr.. Blairs collection OF
the papers of Andrew Jackson.
Mrs. Van Buren's gift comprises some
1850 pieces. and fills a large trunk. IL
comes TO the library accompanied by let
ter OF the same general tenor as that OF the
Blair heirs AS the collection is now in
process Of being opened and pressed ior
better reference. time has still been lack
ing for anything like a thorough examiha-
ton. Certain interesting facts, however,
stand FORTH which furnish an indication Oh
others yet to be discovered. One OF the
contents Of the trunk is Mr.. Van Buren,,s
manuscript autobiography IN SIX Iono NoI-
umeS 1t was evidently transcribed from
O. rough draft prepared by ms own ha no.
of which some sheets are found In the
collection. 1t was the Presidents lnten-
ton 10 put into this work the full defense
Of his political conduct, which had Deeh
subject to very severe criticism, as well as
a history Of political parties, in which he
always felt keen interest 1t was PROB
ably his purpose 10 publish this large work
one day. and his political history, or
part of it, has found its way into print
But the rest will be new TO students OF
American annals and mine of Information
regarding the authors own characteristics.
Another feature is a remarkable series or
letters which passed between Andrew jack
son and Van Buren,. The letters written by
Mr.. Van Buren, appear to have been pro-
cured by him from the Jackson heirs as the
series is very fun and the comments and
Endorsements in Jacksons hand are many.
The series extends from point during
JacksOn's presidency TO 1915, the year OF
his death. 1t will probably be found to
contain between $50 and coo letters, the
majority being from Jackson to Van Blu
rem. y good many of them are extremely
candid in their comments on men ana
measures. passing as they did between two
political intimates during period of storm
and stress.
Original drafts of letters by'Van Buren,.
some of his early legal briefs addresses
TO political clubs and conventions. mes
sages of information. and vetoes, contribu-
memoranda on miscellaneous subjects COM
prise another group of papers. There Is
also his commission minister to Eng
land In 1871, together with some reSolu-
lions of public parties and political friends,
few very long letters TO Jackson from
abroad, and single note from Lord Pal
in the correspondence, moreover, TO the re-
lection of his nomination by the Senate,
which, as may be remembered, was &C
complished by the casting vote of jack
sons old enemy, John G. Calhoun.
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.
Besides the correspondence with Jackson,
there is large quantity of other semi
personal and semi-political correspondence
with notable men, some series extending
through from thirty to fifty letters. In this
class fall about five letters from James
Madison. one Of them inclosing Hamilton's
speech in the constitutional convention in
a7s7. Ten letters are from Rufus King.
and there is one from Aaron Burr. Among
other contributors to this group may be
mentioned John Randolph, Levi Woodbury.
James K Polk, Jefferson Davis, William III.
Crawford, S. ID. Ingham, Edward Living
ston. r. B. fancy, Thomas III. Benton,
Amos Kendall, and Henry Clay. Writers
on New York State politics include William
T. Marcy, Silas Wright, Smith Thompson,
John A. Hamilton, c. c. Cambreleng, c. p
Van Ness, Peter B. Porter, and Ambrose
Spencer. The men of letters are fewer but
from rather notable list among Mr.. Van
Buren's correspondence, among them being
Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant
II. d Gilpin. Thomas Cooper, and William
4. Rives- OF the journalists of the period
the most notable are Mordecai NJ Noah
James Gordon Bennett. William Colman
Thomas Ritchie, Duff Greene, and Joseph
Gales. There are also many and long let
tiers from Francis p. Blair. Indeed. the
letters of Van Burens time were generally
more expansive than those of our buster
era, and not few of these run to the length
of six or eight closely written pages.
This collection will have the advantage
OF freshness, no part Of the correspondence
ever having been accessible to Mr.. Van Blu
ren'S bioSraphers- The autObiOgra ply ap-
pears TO have been brought down ONLY 10
about 1893 though there are data at its close
bearing date as late as 1853. good many
OF the letters In the correspondence at large
have been drawn upon in this work Mr.
Van Buren, was an old man-seventy-one
years-before he began il.
LIBRARY'S GROWING IMPORTANCE.
The Van Buren, papers are only the latest
contribution TO a system which is now un-
der very successful Roadway, of accumulat-
ing important manuscripts bearing upon
American history in the library of Con-
gress. The appropriation act OF the current
year recognizes this system by authorizing
any government department TO turn over
TO the custody of the library any manu-
script material IL has in its archives
which is not needed for administrative pur-
poses The library has already accumu-
lated a considerable number of collections
OF papers OF Presidents of the United
States. Four notable deposits by the state
Department are the papers of George Wash
fngton. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison
Jackson. presented by the Blair family.
have already been mentioned. Last fall
the library acquired the papers of James
X. Polk, including thousands of letters
addressed to him as President by the lead
ing men OF his time, his manuscript
speeches and addresses, besides the polit-
fcal broadsides and manifestoes, and other
campaign literature. volumes of newspa-
pers. etc, collected by him. The library
has now proper home for such material
In Its division Of manuscripts. with a cele-
brated expert In WOrthington G. Ford at
the mead or II. One very long stackrOOm
has been htted up with cases where the
manuscripts can be filed under glass to
protect them from the dust and in Some
measure rrom changes OF temperatures: be-
tween the cases Will be steel safes having
the character OF a table on top. but I'M
derneath a fireprOOf provision for the safe
keeping OF manuscripts unique in Character
or otherwise OF extraordinary value Adj
joining this Is a large square APARTMENT
which. will house the administra tive Of
fee OF the division, and outside of this
again is an exhibition room where particu-
lar characteristic specimens of chirograDhN
and illumination are spread before the gem
eral public.
The great value of manuscript collec-
lions or the Van Buren, class is shown
by the fact that history has sometimes 10
De rewritten on special subjects because of
the fresh light thrown upon them by per-
sonal papers-diarieS. letters. etc.-tO which
no oiOgrapher or historian has ever had
access OF the letters of Daniel Webster
acquired by the library, for instance, only
some twenty have ever seen print, oct OF at
ieast ioO. which ought 10 have been printed