Scope and arrangement
The papers of historian Alexander Clarence Flick consist of correspondence, research notes, and printed matter relating to his biography of Samuel J. Tilden. The correspondence is comprised of letters of inquiry to other scholars working in the same area of study, though the correspondent best represented is Mrs. Emma A. Smith, widow of George W. Smith, Tilden's confidential secretary. Mrs. Smith was the final administrator of the Tilden Estate. Other correspondents include Poultney Bigelow, J. Franklin Jameson, and Allan Nevins.
Also included in the correspondence is a group of 19th century letters referring to Tilden and political events from the 1870s to the 1890s. Correspondents include John Bigelow, S.E. Church, Sol Hewitt, D.B. Hill, Francis Kernan, and Samuel Tilden.
The research notes, including manuscript fragments, all relate to Samuel J. Tilden: A Study in Political Sagacity. The printed matter, circa 1838 to 1930, include historical materials and publications relating to Tilden's political career, as well as clippings from the popular press.
The Alexander Clarence Flick papers are arranged in three series: