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Autograph Letter Signed, to Gulian Crommelin Verplanck, December 30, 1837, Washington, DC. 1 p., 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 in. This letter is addressed to the president of the St. Nicholas Society of the City of New York, Gulian Crommelin Verplanck, and signed twice within the text as "H. Clay" and "H. C." Clay thanks Verplanck for sending a copy of his recent speech to the Society's annual meeting, praises it for its substance and cleverness, and wishes Verplanck could change places with President Martin Van Buren. Complete TranscriptH. Clay presents his respectful compliments to H.E. the President of the St Nicholas Society, with cordial thanks for the opportunity afforded to him of perusing the President's late admirable 'communication' to the annual meeting of the Society. It far surpasses, in humor, in wit, in sound common sense, and in Statesmanlike views that of the Chief Magistrate of all these United States President Martin Van Buren. And H.C. regrets that there cannot be instantly an exchange of positions between these two high dignitaries. He does not know that the St. Nicholas Society would gain by the transposition, but he is sure that the U. States would.He tenders to the President of the St Nicholas Society the compliments of the Season. Washington 30th Decr 1837Historical BackgroundAmerican author Washington Irving, with the financial backing of John Jacob Astor and other prominent New Yorkers, organized The St. Nicholas Society of the City of New York in 1835 for historical and social purposes. Its membership consists of descendants of men who lived in the State of New York before 1785. Gulian Crommelin Verplanck was the second president of the society, serving from 1837 to 1841. In 1837, the Society held its annual meeting at the new Delmonico's Restaurant on December 6.[1]The program began with the reading of letters from President Martin Van Buren, former President John Quincy Adams, Senator Daniel Webster, Winfield Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, and others, and a series of toasts. The president then delivered an address, "replete with wit, classical allusion, and antiquarian reminiscences."In his presidential address, Verplanck waxed poetical and at length on the history of New York City: "The most important part of the exclusively domestick or internal concerns of this society have been wisely confided to your board of stewards-the sage framers of our constitution having, doubtless, foreseen that their duties were always of too delicate a nature, as well as frequently too arduous to be safely intrusted to any single individual. The result of the recent labours of those high functionaries have been spread before you, in extenso, this evening, and have received, as they deserved, your marked and unqualified approbation. It is due to them to inform you that this happy result has not been attained without profound and arduous research, as well as eminent natural talent and happy disposition for such studies. Indeed, I can assure you, from the report of the other dignitaries of the society, as well as from a personal visit of inspection of my own, that the splendid success you have this day witnessed, cost our stewards many midnight consultations over the wines and cookery of the Messrs. Delmonico, who have been selected as our agents on this occasion. But there is another point of view in which they have covered themselves with glory-and for this they merit and should receive the special thanks of this fraternity. It is the wise and patriotick selection of the locality they have chosen. You well remember that, in former years, we have assembled on the joyous return of this day, at the City Hotel in Broadway, a house well worthy, in point of splendour and accommodation, to receive us, but situated quite out of the town, being many rods to the north of the ancient city walls, where Wall-street now runs. But our present board of stewards, strong in the love of their original nativ. (See website for full description). N° de ref. del artículo 27308
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