Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862 to William C. Bouck

Advises Bouck to make a speedy decision one way or the other to resolve a scandal in Albany involving the state's printing. Remarks that it would be far worse to delay a decision. Discusses at length how to conduct the executive branch of the government based upon his own experiences as President. Brings up an incident from his presidency where a man came to him wanting to inform him of a conspiracy being formed to destroy him politically. Van Buren states he refused to hear such gossip. "The consequence was that although Washington is perhaps the most gossiping place in the world, I escaped its contamination altogether, had no trouble accept such as unavoidably grew out of my public duties, and although I had perhaps a more vexatious time than any of my predecessors in most respects, I was the only man, they all say, who grew fat in that office ... " Written from his farm called Lindenwald in Kinderhook, New York. Marked confidential.