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George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FLAmanda Brent
Public Domain. There are no known restrictions.
There are no access restrictions.
This collection has been digitized and is available to view here.
Letter from senator James M. Mason to U.S. President James Buchanan, C0365, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
The donor is unknown.
Reprocessing completed by Amanda Brent in June 2019. EAD markup completed by Amanda Brent in June 2019.
James Murray Mason, born on November 3, 1798, was a U.S. Senator, representing Virginia from 1847 - 1861. Mason vehemently support southern states' interests, introducing the Fugitive Slave Act on January 4, 1850, which eventually was passed. Upon the advent of the Civil War, he joined the Confederacy, and was eventually expelled from the Senate. Mason was a key player in the Trent Affair, in which the U.S. arrested him and former Senator John Slidell for acting as diplomats to Europe from the Confederacy. After his release from prison, he continued to represent the Confederacy until its downfall, and then resided in Canada until 1868. He then returned to Virginia, passing away April 28, 1871.
Letter from Senator James M. Mason to U.S. President James Buchanan, written on June 20, 1860, recommending an individual for service as a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
This is a single item collection.
The Special Collections Research Center holds other items related to the Mason family, including the Mason family manuscript account book and the George Mason letters to John Augustine Washington III. It also holds the Letter from Senator James M. Mason to U.S. President James Buchanan on the Trent Affair.
The Virginia Military Institute holds the James M. Mason papers. The Library of Virginia holds the James M. Mason Papers.
"James Murray Mason: A Featured Biography." United States Senate. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/Featured_Bio_MasonJamesMurray.htm (accessed June 28, 2019).