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George Tucker letter

 Collection
Identifier: MS 196
Finding aid note: Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Scope and Contents

One letter in two pieces, dated January 15, 1836, from George Tucker to his bank. A second date of January 18, 1836 at the top right corner of the letter may indicate it arrived at the bank on the 18th of January, as the second date is preceded by a capital letter A. Letter mentions a General Jackson and W. Pendleton, who was a proctor at the University of Virginia. A full typed transcription of the letter is located in the control folder.

Dates

  • 1836-01-15

Creator

Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the George Tucker letter must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Biographical / Historical

George Tucker (1775-1861), lawyer, was an American political economist and author. He served in the Virginia State Legislature and was elected to Congress as a Democrat from 1819-1825. He was appointed by Thomas Jefferson to be Professor of Moral Philosphy at the University of Virginia in 1825 and remained there until he resigned in 1845. In 1827 he wrote "A Voyage to the Moon," considered by some to be the first American work of science fiction. George Tucker was a friend and contemporary of James Madison. He was a conservative and an adherent of classical French and English economic theory. He was impressed with Malthus' principle of population and used it to predict the extinction of slavery, although his opposition to slavery was never outspoken. As a professor, he insisted that economic scholarship should lead to recommendations for public policy. His more important writings were in economics. He published "The Laws of Wages, Profits and Rent Investigated" and "Life of Thomas Jefferson" in 1837, "The Theory of Money and Banks Investigated" in 1839, and "Political Economy for the People" in 1859, and other works. Sources: McLean, Robert Colin. George Tucker: Moral Philosopher and Man of Letters. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1961; Snavely, Tipton Ray. George Tucker as Political Economist. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1964.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet ( (1 letter))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

This letter was written by George Tucker in 1836 while he was a professor at the University of Virginia. It was presumably addressed to his bank recording a deposit in the amount of $250 for a future investment.

Acquisition Information

This collection was recieved at Fondren Library, Rice University, November 21, 1972.

Subjects

Record Groups

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the George Tucker letter, 1836
Status
Completed
Date
2009
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892