An Archive of Unpublished Correspondence From a Feud Between William H. Crawford and John C. Calhoun

In 1820-1821, James Monroe was President, William H. Crawford was his Secretary of the Treasury, and John C. Calhoun was Secretary of War.

In 1820, Gen. Thomas Flournoy was appointed United States commissioner to the Creek Indians, and moved to the Alabama frontier. His main purpose was to negotiate treaties and land cessions with the Native Americans in the aftermath of the First Seminole War.  Georgia also sent its own representatives.  The heavy handedness of the Georgia delegation angered Flournoy, who promptly requested his dismissal from the position.  

Calhoun and Crawford both had presidential ambitions and neither liked the other. Their rift grew with time like a poison within Monroe's cabinet.  This Flournoy incident proved to be a key part of that.  

A disagreement arose whether it was Calhoun or Crawford who recommended Flournoy, with partisans on each side pointing fingers and seeking to make this a wedge issue to gain favor with the President.  Both men took very strong positions on the issue, while simultaneously saying that it was not significant.  Crawford initially stated that it was Calhoun, later saying that in fact both men had been party to the decision.  Calhoun placed blame entirely on Crawford's shoulders.
This is Crawford's defense of his position, including unpublished manuscripts in his hand, as well as the final reply from Calhoun.

Autograph letter, signature missing, partial, October 15, 1821, from Crawford to "Gentlemen."  He encloses the below pieces and states that he is attempting to respond to allegations that he sought to impede the appointment of Indian commissioners and that he was the sole responsible party for appointing Flournoy.

Autograph letter signed, Oct. 12, 1821, a draft of a letter from John C. Calhoun in the hand of Crawford, 2 pages, to an unknown recipient.  Seeking to set the record straight that it was Crawford and not Calhoun who had suggested Flournoy as commissioner.

Autograph letter signed, Oct. 13, 1821, draft of a letter from Crawford to Calhoun, 4 pages. Detailing the events leading to Flournoy's selection as commissioner and disagreeing with Calhoun's version of events.

Autograph letter signed, Aug. 21 1821, a draft of a letter from John Clark to John C. Calhoun in the hand of Crawford, requesting the recommendation by which Flournoy was appointed commissioner.

Manuscript copy, December, 1820, of a letter from David Adams to John Clark, suggesting he felt that they had incorrectly assigned to Crawford the cause of Flournoy's appointment.

Autograph letter signed, John C. Calhoun, October 17, 1821, stating that his recollection of the above matter has not changed.

Additionally, after the panic of 1819, John C. Calhoun's War Department budget came in way over what the Secretary of Treasury had anticipated.  Thomas Cobb, a Crawford partisan, attacked the War Department, and Calhoun partisans attacked Crawford.

Autograph letter signed, from Crawford, Oct. 17, 1821, to Thomas Cobb, 6 pages, signature clipped.  Detailing the state of the relationship between Crawford and Calhoun in relationship the budget dust-up.

Autograph letter signed, from Crawford, Oct. 17, 1821, to Thomas Cobb and Stephen Upson, 4 pages.

This archive was acquired from the descendants of William H. Crawford and has never before been offered for sale.