K 12047 - Martin Van Buren Autograph Letter Signed to attorney general re nullification crisis
kg:: bn: Hx: Martin Van Buren Autograph Letter Signed [Vice Presidential Document] [Charleston & Fort Sumter Document]
Autograph Letter Signed (“M Van Buren”) as Vice President, to Attorney General Benjamin F. Butler (1795-1858); Describes Passage of Force Bill during Nullification Crisis: "Every Eye Is Directed Towards S. Carolina" Washington, DC, March 9, 1833.
Provenance: Acquired from Christie’s auction, The Forbes Collection.
K12047 $9,500
Transcript:
I am ashamed of myself for not having written to you before but you know how it is with me in this respect, and in addition to other obstacles I have for the last two weeks been afflicted with a cold which would have put me to bed but for the exciting scenes through which we have passed. They are all over I will aver. Not a single incident has occurred to interfere with the general satisfaction [] the extreme ill health of the President on the 4th which [] [] [][], but he went through it well. I [] the principal bout of a day in the Senate I witnessed a very general disposition on the [] [] the rejectors to be civil. Most of them came up to me & shook hands. With Webster that ceremony did not take place until the inauguration ball when it was done and in circumstances which [] will explain. The health of the President is chiefly restored & affairs here look quite well. Every eye is directed towards S. Carolina. Her delegation went off in a great rage in in [sic] consequence of the passage of the enforcement Bill by so unprecedented a majority. Her course is not certain but my [] is that she will revoke her ordinance but denounce bitterly the enforcement law & possibly nullify it although [] madness is not probable. Many point view the crusade has been a unfortunate one to [] [] in no particular have they perhaps supposed more than on the score of talents, having been too heavily [] by the peculiarity of [] position to allow them to [] them against repud[i]ation. I will not [][] would [] up a little towards them. More who would have been most willing to [] them if [] [] will now be foremost to assault them. How is Mrs. Butler[?] Has the [] made its appearance [][?] I will remain here long enough to hear from you if you write immediately. [] [] me affectionately to Mrs Butler[,] Miss Margaret & all the children & to the Gov. Mr Flagg[.] Mr Craswell [] [] & c & c & c[.] [] [] & my friends generally. As this is my first I [] I send you Mr Hoffmans lecture which you may [] have seen. By the bye what about your movements[?] I [] Mr Matthews [] encouragement and [] that you [], and [] welfare will be [] [][] by the change—the [] [] [] [] take care of [] [].
Historical Background:
A scant four days after his inauguration, the new Vice President (President Pro Tem of the Senate) describes the tension following the the passage of the Force Bill in response to South Carolina’s attempt to nullify the Tariff of Abominations. As of February 1, 1833, South Carolina had declared, it would be illegal for the Federal Government to collect duties within the borders of their state. Jackson, condemned nullification as “insurrection,” and responded by asking Congress to grant him authority to use the Army or any means necessary to enforce collecting the tariff. The Force Bill, with support in debate from Daniel Webster, passed on February 28 by an overwhelming majority. An incensed Calhoun and the South Carolina delegation walked out of the Senate in protest.
After the “exciting scenes through which we have passed,” Van Buren tells Butler that a new spirit of reconciliation prevails in the Senate: “I...witnessed a very general disposition on the part of the rejectors [those favoring nullification] to be civil. Most of them came up to me & shook hands. With Webster that ceremony did not take place until the inauguration ball.” He expresses his belief that the crisis is nearly over: “Every eye is directed towards S. Carolina. Her delegation went off in a great rage in consequence of the passage of the Enforcement Bill by so unprecedented a majority. Her course is not certain but my impression is that she will revoke her ordinance but denounce bitterly the enforcement law & possibly nullify it although that madness is not probable.” Van Buren is critical of the nullifiers’ efforts: “The crusade has been an unfortunate one...” and they have “been too heavily pressed by the peculiarity of their position to allow them to sustain their eminent[?] reputations...Those who would have been most willing to court them if successful will now be foremost to assault them.”
South Carolina did in fact pass an act nullifying the Force Bill, but as Van Buren predicted, nullification failed to win support outside South Carolina and a proposed compromise tariff eventually led to the revocation of the ordinance of nullification. The crisis would pass, this time, without violence.
Condition:
4 pages, 4to (9 11/16 x 7 7/8 in.), in fine condition.
Martin Van Buren (1782-1862): Eighth president of the United States (1837-41). Born in Kinderhook, New York, called to the bar in 1803 and practiced in Kinderhook until being elected to the Senate (1812-16). Became state attorney general (1816-19) and reentered the Senate in 1831 as a Democrat. Elected governor of New York in 1828. Van Buren was a strong supporter of Jackson’s bid for president and in 1829 became secretary of state during Jackson’s first term and vice president during his second. In 1837 Van Buren succeeded Jackson to the office of President. Increasingly opposed to slavery, Van Buren prevented the annexation of Texas during his tenure, realizing that it would expand slavery and possibly lead to war with Mexico.
Autograph Letter Signed (“M Van Buren”) as Vice President, to Attorney General Benjamin F. Butler (1795-1858); Describes Passage of Force Bill during Nullification Crisis: "Every Eye Is Directed Towards S. Carolina" Washington, DC, March 9, 1833.
Provenance: Acquired from Christie’s auction, The Forbes Collection.
K12047 $9,500
Transcript:
I am ashamed of myself for not having written to you before but you know how it is with me in this respect, and in addition to other obstacles I have for the last two weeks been afflicted with a cold which would have put me to bed but for the exciting scenes through which we have passed. They are all over I will aver. Not a single incident has occurred to interfere with the general satisfaction [] the extreme ill health of the President on the 4th which [] [] [][], but he went through it well. I [] the principal bout of a day in the Senate I witnessed a very general disposition on the [] [] the rejectors to be civil. Most of them came up to me & shook hands. With Webster that ceremony did not take place until the inauguration ball when it was done and in circumstances which [] will explain. The health of the President is chiefly restored & affairs here look quite well. Every eye is directed towards S. Carolina. Her delegation went off in a great rage in in [sic] consequence of the passage of the enforcement Bill by so unprecedented a majority. Her course is not certain but my [] is that she will revoke her ordinance but denounce bitterly the enforcement law & possibly nullify it although [] madness is not probable. Many point view the crusade has been a unfortunate one to [] [] in no particular have they perhaps supposed more than on the score of talents, having been too heavily [] by the peculiarity of [] position to allow them to [] them against repud[i]ation. I will not [][] would [] up a little towards them. More who would have been most willing to [] them if [] [] will now be foremost to assault them. How is Mrs. Butler[?] Has the [] made its appearance [][?] I will remain here long enough to hear from you if you write immediately. [] [] me affectionately to Mrs Butler[,] Miss Margaret & all the children & to the Gov. Mr Flagg[.] Mr Craswell [] [] & c & c & c[.] [] [] & my friends generally. As this is my first I [] I send you Mr Hoffmans lecture which you may [] have seen. By the bye what about your movements[?] I [] Mr Matthews [] encouragement and [] that you [], and [] welfare will be [] [][] by the change—the [] [] [] [] take care of [] [].
Historical Background:
A scant four days after his inauguration, the new Vice President (President Pro Tem of the Senate) describes the tension following the the passage of the Force Bill in response to South Carolina’s attempt to nullify the Tariff of Abominations. As of February 1, 1833, South Carolina had declared, it would be illegal for the Federal Government to collect duties within the borders of their state. Jackson, condemned nullification as “insurrection,” and responded by asking Congress to grant him authority to use the Army or any means necessary to enforce collecting the tariff. The Force Bill, with support in debate from Daniel Webster, passed on February 28 by an overwhelming majority. An incensed Calhoun and the South Carolina delegation walked out of the Senate in protest.
After the “exciting scenes through which we have passed,” Van Buren tells Butler that a new spirit of reconciliation prevails in the Senate: “I...witnessed a very general disposition on the part of the rejectors [those favoring nullification] to be civil. Most of them came up to me & shook hands. With Webster that ceremony did not take place until the inauguration ball.” He expresses his belief that the crisis is nearly over: “Every eye is directed towards S. Carolina. Her delegation went off in a great rage in consequence of the passage of the Enforcement Bill by so unprecedented a majority. Her course is not certain but my impression is that she will revoke her ordinance but denounce bitterly the enforcement law & possibly nullify it although that madness is not probable.” Van Buren is critical of the nullifiers’ efforts: “The crusade has been an unfortunate one...” and they have “been too heavily pressed by the peculiarity of their position to allow them to sustain their eminent[?] reputations...Those who would have been most willing to court them if successful will now be foremost to assault them.”
South Carolina did in fact pass an act nullifying the Force Bill, but as Van Buren predicted, nullification failed to win support outside South Carolina and a proposed compromise tariff eventually led to the revocation of the ordinance of nullification. The crisis would pass, this time, without violence.
Condition:
4 pages, 4to (9 11/16 x 7 7/8 in.), in fine condition.
Martin Van Buren (1782-1862): Eighth president of the United States (1837-41). Born in Kinderhook, New York, called to the bar in 1803 and practiced in Kinderhook until being elected to the Senate (1812-16). Became state attorney general (1816-19) and reentered the Senate in 1831 as a Democrat. Elected governor of New York in 1828. Van Buren was a strong supporter of Jackson’s bid for president and in 1829 became secretary of state during Jackson’s first term and vice president during his second. In 1837 Van Buren succeeded Jackson to the office of President. Increasingly opposed to slavery, Van Buren prevented the annexation of Texas during his tenure, realizing that it would expand slavery and possibly lead to war with Mexico.