Guide to the Samuel Sullivan Cox papers, 1852-1902

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2017

Collection Overview

Title:	Samuel Sullivan Cox papers
Date range:	1852-1902
Creator:	Cox, Samuel Sullivan, 1824-1889
Extent:	2.25 Linear feet
Abstract:	The Samuel Sullivan Cox papers consist mainly of correspondence sent and received by Samuel Sullivan Cox from his constituents while serving as a Democratic Congressman from Ohio (1857-1865) and later from New York (between 1869-1889). In addition there is correspondence to and from his wife Julia A Cox and other Cox family members. Most of the correspondence is political in nature, consisting of the office correspondence of a U.S. Congressman and diplomat.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.77.15

Scope & content

While Cox was a writer of some importance, this specific collection is almost entirely political in scope, consisting of the office correspondence of a U.S. Congressman and diplomat. Few of the letters are significant in their own right, being simple requests for political favors, appointments, recommendations, and information. Taken together, however, this collection presents a vivid view of local politics--of Democratic party machinations and the views and needs of hundreds of people--in Ohio during the mid-1850's to the mid-1860's, and in New York from 1868 to 1889.

In other respects, however, the scope of this collection is severely limited. It contains few letters written by Cox himself, few letters concerning Cox's private or literary life, nor does it contain much in the way of family correspondence. Other manuscript repositories containing manuscripts concerning Cox can be consulted, however. Consult the National union catalog of manuscript collections for listings (see the collection file for the Cox collection for further information).

Access Points

Subject Organizations

• Brown University. Class of 1846.

Subject Topics

• Elections--New York (State)
• Elections--Ohio
• Elections--United States

Geographical Names

• New York (State)--Politics and government--1865-1950
• Ohio--Politics and government--1865-1950
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States--Politics and government
• United States--Relations--Latin America
• United States--Relations--Middle East

Document Types

• Letters (Correspondence)

Subject Topics

• Government, Politics and Law

Arrangement

The original order of the collection has been lost. The collection is arranged by correspondent and then chronologically within each section. The papers are now divided into 6 series:

• Series 1. Samuel Sullivan Cox
• Series 2. Julia A. Cox (Mrs. S.S. Cox)
• Series 3. John Harrinton Cox
• Series 4. William Van Zandt Cox
• Series 5. Other Cox family members
• Series 6. Other documents
• Series 7. Scrapbook about the career of Samuel Sullivan Cox, Brown Class of 1846

Biographical note

Cox was born in Zanesville, Ohio on Sept. 30, 1824, the son of Ezekiel Taylor Cox, editor of the Muskingum Messenger, and member of the Ohio State Senate. Politics ran strongly in the family. His mother's father, Samuel Sullivan, was a former state treasurer of Ohio, and his paternal grandfather, General James Cox, was a former speaker of the New Jersey Legislature and a member of the 10th U.S. Congress.

After completing his primary and secondary education, Cox attended Ohio University for two years before entering and graduating with high honors from Brown University in 1846. He studied law for two years in Cincinnati, and then opened a brief law partnership with George L. Pugh, a future U.S. senator from Ohio. The partnership was successful, but nonetheless Cox's ambitions drew him to Europe. After marrying Julia A. Buckingham in 1849, he traveled with her through Europe for a year, a journey which resulted in the writing of A Buckeye Abroad (1852).

The commercial success of A Buckeye Abroad encouraged Cox to enter the field of journalism. He purchased the Democratic Ohio Statesman of Columbus, Ohio. Soon, journalism, in turn, led Cox to politics. Appointed Chairman of the Democratic state committee, 1853, Cox was instrumental in the party's gubernatorial victory of that year. He was rewarded in 1855 with the post of the secretary of the legation to Peru. Unfortunately, ill health forced him to resign.

Upon returning to Ohio, Cox was elected to the U.S. Congress as a Democrat from the 10th Ohio District. For the next 30 years, with the exception of the 39th and 40th Congresses, and a year in the diplomatic service, Cox was continually in Congress.

Arriving in Washington, D.C. in 1856, Cox strongly supported Stephen Douglass in his struggle against the Kansas Lecompton Constitution; however, he actively opposed the nominal head of his party, President Buchanan, on several key issues, including the Homestead bill. Throughout his career Cox maintained an attitude of independence, which may have cost him his two bids for the House Speakership. As the Civil War approached, Cox supported all measures which offered hope of reconciliation between the sections. He was nevertheless a staunch Unionist and supported all war appropriations, although throughout the war he continued to work strongly for compromise and early settlement. As a result, Cox was never identified with C.L. Vallandigham and other Copperheads.

During the war years, Cox aided in the settlement of the Trent Affair, strongly opposed the declaration of martial law outside the war zone, sought the abolishment of privateering, and was instrumental in bringing about the unsuccessful Hampton Roads Conference of 1864. He supported General George McClellan for President in 1864, and before he himself suffered defeat in his bid for reelection, Cox successfully opposed extreme confiscation measures of Southern property.

After his defeat, Cox moved to New York, convinced that Ohio was becoming increasingly Republican. For the next several months he practiced law and wrote Eight years in Congress. Returning to Congress in 1868, Cox worked for amnesty and for reform of the tariff and Civil Service. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Life Saving Service; his support of mail carriers in their effort to secure better pay was noteworthy; and his efforts were largely responsible for the broadening in scope of the census of 1890.

Cox was appointed Minister to Turkey in 1885, but resigned after only one year of service, writing Diversions of a diplomat in Turkey before returning to Congress in 1887. He died in 1889.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Samuel Sullivan Cox papers, Ms. 77.15, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The provenance of this collection has been lost. The Samuel Sullivan Cox papers were apparently purchased in 1951 from a Mr. Emil Hurja of New York, but the purchase records have either been destroyed or lost. It is not known where or how Mr. Hurja originally obtained the collection. Furthermore, it is suspected that additional material, such as Cox's personal library, was acquired at the same time, but unfortunately this cannot now be substantiated.
Processing information:	The Samuel Sullivan Cox papers were processed and guide compiled by Clifton H. Jones, Manuscript Curator, Nov. 1977.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Clifton H. Jones, Manuscript Curator, November, 1977.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2017-08-22
Descriptive rules:	Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules

Additional Information

Other information:

Brown University Library catalog record for this collection: Cox, Samuel Sullivan, 1824-1889. Papers, 1852-1902

Inventory

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