[John McLean] Archive of Six Letters from Joseph Taylor, with Mrs. Taylor's calling card. All letters contain political cont...

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[John McLean] Archive of Six Letters from Joseph Taylor, with Mrs. Taylor's calling card. All letters contain political content dating between 1829 and 1839 and are docketed by Supreme Court Associate Justice John McLean. Taylor, the brother of Zachary Taylor and son-in-law of McLean, was a well-informed political insider during the Jackson and Van Buren administrations. Much of the content of these letters is political, including news that McLean and "Mr. [John C.] Cal[houn] had joined fortunes . . . [and] produced shivering among the Clay men" (an 1830 letter). Taylor also speculates about the machinations of the Democratic party "in the event of the President [Andrew Jackson] not being a candidate for reelection" (1830). In other political news, "I had lunch with Mr. Calhoun in Richmond who was very anxious to know when you would set out for Washington, and appeared anxious you should get on as soon as possible. He was in fine spirits" (1829). After a visit with two former presidents, Taylor reports, "I was delighted with my visit to Mr. [James] Madison & Colonel [James] Monroe and at the same time, I could not but feel melancholy to see them so infirm and rapidly declining" (1829). Some of the other names that appear in Taylor's letters: William J. Worth, Robert T. Lytle, Jesse B. Thomas, and Martin Van Buren. In local Cincinnati news (home of the McLean's), Taylor reports to McLean, who is away in "Washington City", about an argument between two Cincinnati gentlemen; one took offence at the other and attacked him "with a stick and dirk". Taylor describes the aftermath in an 1830 letter.

The archive also contain personal information, including mention of the loss of John McLean's son, Willy (1829); the McLean farm; and a New Orleans' yellow fever epidemic. Joseph Pannell Taylor (1796-1864) married Evelyn McLean, the daughter of John McLean. A veteran of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, Taylor was a colonel in the U.S. Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. Evelyn McLean Taylor's calling card (3.5" x 2") is included and reads, "Mrs. Col. Taylor/ At home/ Tuesday February 15th at 2 o'clock. St. Paul St." Some discoloration around lower edges. Overall, the archive is in fine condition.