Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

The collection is without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

William Cabell Rives Papers, 1824-1842, Accession #11375, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Processing Information

These letters were found boxed with the papers of Lewis Preston Summers #2781 and were transferred from that collection to become the papers of William Cabell Rives on February 2, 1998.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of letters to William Cabell Rives (1792-1868) from constituents, friends, and family members, ca. 1824-1842, and undated, ca. 190 items (1 Hollinger box), often discussing political matters on the local, state, and national level. William Cabell Rives was a Representative and Senator from Virginia, born at "Oak Ridge," Nelson County, Virginia. He attended Hampden-Sidney College and the College of William and Mary, graduating in 1809. Rives began to practice law in Charlottesville, about 1814, and served in the Virginia House of Delegates, 1817-1820, 1822-1823. Rives served in the U.S. Senate during 1823-1829, 1832-1834, 1836-1845, and most of the correspondence in the collection was written to him while a Senator in Washington, D.C.

The papers also contain political essays, poetry, several news clippings and legal & financial documents of the Rives family. The subjects of the political essays and papers include: "Opinion on the project of law of indirect taxes presented to the Chamber of Deputies on the 5th October 1830," a petition to Congress concerning the Bankrupt Law, a table comparing the reduction of import duties on French wine with the volume of American cotton exported to France, amendments to Henry Clay's resolutions, "Outlines of a Plan for a fiscal agent of the Government," and "Notes on the subject of a Bank, a Fiscal Agent, of the United States."

RIVES FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE

Letters in this folder of correspondence consists of letters from various members of the Rives family to each other. Topics include: a description by Francis R. Rives of a visit by Mrs. Dolley Madison and her niece, Miss Payne, to Castle Hill on the way to the springs (1837 Jul 2); comments on the recent Virginia elections and politics in Virginia by W.C. Rives' brother, L. C. Rives (1835 May 4); a discussion of the presidential election of 1828 and Virginia politics, particularly the chances of William Branch Giles (1762-1830) being re-elected as governor of Virginia, by William M. Rives (1828 Dec 5); William M. Rives also discusses the currency issue, the importance of increasing the size of the navy, and the damage caused by the recent "Whig Manifesto," to the Whig Party (1842 Jan 5); Alexander Rives writes to his father, Robert Rives, concerning the Whig Party, President   John Tyler, the currency question, his concerns for the influence of the supporters of Henry Clay in Albemarle County, and their support of a National Bank (1842 Mar 4); Robert Rives writes to William Rives about the Whig Party, Henry Clay and whether Alexander Rives should run for office in Albemarle County (1842 Mar 8); William M. Rives writes concerning the resignation of Henry Clay, the upcoming presidential election of 1844, the urgency of the currency question, and the poor prospects of business (1842 Mar 8); a typescript copy of a letter from Judith Page Rives describes her impression of Charles and Catherine Dickens during their visit to Washington, D.C. (1842 Mar 16); and William M. Rives to Thomas W. Gilmer concerning President   Tyler's re- election chances, and his troubles with Dr. Given and Marshall Miller (1842 Nov 30, Dec 8, see also Gilmer, 1842 Dec 22, 24).

LETTERS TO WILLIAM CABELL RIVES

Letters from non-family members often include mention or discussion of politics or business. Some of these include: John Letcher asking about Rives' opinion on the "right of instruction" [the right of constituents to tell elected officials how to vote on issues?] (1834 Dec 30) and, in a letter to J.S. Barbour, the circumstances concerning the recall of William Henry Harrison from his position as U.S. Minister to Colombia by President   Jackson in 1829 (1841 Jan 7); discussion about the death of President   William Henry Harrison and urging of support for President   Tyler, and a discussion of U.S. banks, by William Hands, Jr. (1841 May 21); George Field disclosing his plan of a "fiscal agent" for the Federal government and his opposition to a national bank (1841 June 6, two letters); another plan concerning a "fiscal agent" for the Federal government by R.M. Whitney (1841 Jun 15); the failure of the United States Bank and its effects by Richard Pollard (1841 Jun 24); a request by the Ohio Mechanics Institute and Samuel Morrison for copies of the geological survey of Virginia for educational purposes among the laboring classes (1841 Jul 23); requests for help retrieving his personal documents left with Frank Carr at the University of Virginia by Louis Tellkampf (1841 Sep 21, Dec 8); and discussion about the activities of the Whig leaders in Portland, Maine, and the need for a federal "fiscal agent" or bank, by Francis O. J. Smith (1841 Sep 21).

Letters written near the end of the year discuss sympathy for President   Tyler, who is under assault from the Whig Party (General A. Anderson, 1841 Oct 5); the views of Abbott Laurence concerning the national bank and currency questions (1841 Oct 30); complaints about Joseph Simeon Sanchez, a member of the Loco-foco Party, from a delegation in East Florida (1841 Nov 16); A.C. Brown expresses support for a National Bank, and tries to explain the frustration of the Whig Party with President Tyler (1841 Nov 20); Gorton H. Thomas describing the circumstances of politics in New York at the present time (1841 Nov 23); Charles Duncombe writes concerning the evils of a chartered United States Bank with branches and currency with both political and credit aspects (1841 Nov 30); and the concerns of John L. Graham about the currency question (1841 Dec 10).

Beginning in 1842, correspondents write concerning: the possible repeal of the bankruptcy law (1842 Jan 18, 21); discussion of American diplomatic efforts in [Europe] by Nathaniel Niles, Jr. (1791- 1869), including the conversations of Lewis Cass, American minster at Paris, and Francois Guizot, the French Foreign Minister, concerning the Quintuple Treaty giving the signatories the right to search each others vessels for slaves, the influence of General Duff Green, the articles of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty dealing with the slave trade, and Niles' wish to succeed [Virgil?] Maxcy in Belgium (1842 Jan 24, also see Beasley, 1842 Jan 27); discussion by Mr. Beasley concerning the report of the Secretary of the Navy, Abel P. Upshur, and the problems of the United States Navy (1842 Jan 25); approval of the Senate [Nathaniel Pitcher?] Tallmadge plan concerning the bank question by Robert Y. Conrad (1842 Feb 28); notification of an impending meeting of the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia, in letters by C. Johnson and J.M. Mason, to discuss the resignation of Professor Sylvester (1842 Mar 2, 7); the need for a stronger navy by Edward T. Hunter (1842 Mar 9); R.R. Greeley's invitation to hear Zion Harris, a resident of Liberia for the last twelve years, speak at the Colonization Society (1842 Jun 11); and J.L. Bulla, concerning Rives' vote on the fiscal agent bill (1842 Jun 27).

Correspondence from 1842 continues with the following subjects: Henry Clay by John S. Barbour (1842 Jul 19); whether Henry Clay had said something detrimental about William Cabell Rives from Judge J.H. May (1842 Jul 6); J.B. Delaunay to General James Hamilton (copy) concerning the need for the United States to pay the interest on the public debt, the need for a direct tax, and the impractical nature of tariffs in raising money (1842 Oct 31); attempt by G.W. Trueheart to seek help in securing the release of his brother from Mexico, who was taken at San Antonio (1842 Nov 24); R.G. Beasley concerning taxation in the United States, the tariff, and his association with General Lewis Cass (1842 Dec 5, 7, 8); Valentine Johnson concerning Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, and others (1842 Dec 9); Alexander Brown concerning the bankruptcy law (1842 Dec 21); John W. Robbins concerning questions about agriculture in Albemarle County (1842 Dec 24); and John Nicolson discussing the United States Navy (1842 Dec 28). With the undated letters to William Cabell Rives, there are also newspaper clippings on the slavery question and the Colonization Society by Judge S. Wilkeson.

Other correspondents to William Cabell Rives include: John T. Anderson (1842 Mar 2); T.M.R. Bankhead (1841 Nov 9); Charles Beale (1842 Mar 18); A.M. Bonnycastle (1842 Mar 1); Alexander Brown (1841 Dec 23); William M. Burwell (1842 Jan 28); Dr. Joseph H. Calwell (1842 Jul 22); Dabney S. Carr (1842 Mar 19); Archibald Cary (1842 Apr 22); Virginia Cary (1842 Mar 12); Edward Coles (1837 Feb 26); Stephen B. Daniel (1842 Jan 11); A.W.G. Davis (1834 Jul 5); Charles Augustus Davis (1842 Feb 21, Dec 24); Robley Dunglison (1841 Nov 27); Sam Dyer (1827 Feb 16); James M. Garnett (1842 Jan 8); John T. Gilmer (1842 Nov 7); John L. Horner (1841 Nov 12); Isaac Hull (1841 Dec 27); R.D. Loving (1842 Feb 14); R.C. Mason (1842 Feb 21); Albert D. Newton (1842 Mar 21); John B. Nicholson (1841 Dec 10); Robert Carter Page (1842 Mar 3); Isaac L. Platt (1842 Apr 15); W.G. Singleton (1842 Jul 14); George W. Spotswood (1841 Nov 18); Robert Taylor (1842 Nov 10); and James Tallmadge (1841 Dec 26).