Daniel Webster letters and documents

1823-1941 [bulk 1823-1851]

Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was an American lawyer and statesman. He served as U.S. Representative from New Hampshire and later Massachusetts, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, and U.S. Secretary of State. The collection contains letters written or signed by Webster and a few letters to him, 1823-1851 and undated; Webster’s drafts of political articles for the Washington, D.C. newspaper National Intelligencer, 1823-1850; and financial documents, including signed agreements, a bill of sale for an enslaved man, checks, and notes, 1829-1850. Correspondence concerns political, legal and business matters; many items have been published. Recipients include James A. Hamilton, H.W. Kinsman, Virgil Maxcy, and newspaper publishers Gales & Seaton. Notable content includes an 1850 bill of sale to Webster for William Alexander Johnson, and Webster's 1851 letter to David A. Hall regarding Johnson’s manumission. The collection also contains autograph clippings, as well as facsimiles, transcripts, and other reference material, 1864-1941.