Dr. Mavis Kelsey Collection of Adams-Harris Papers

The Dr. Mavis Kelsey Collection of Adams-Harris Papers houses Dr. Mavis Kelsey’s collection of papers related to John Quincy Adams and Levett Harris. The collection, which dates from 1814-1816 and 1820, consists of correspondence from John Quincy Adams to Levett Harris and from Louisa Catherine Adams to Levett Harris, as well as the original draft of Harris’ defense against the charge that he used his office corruptly for personal gain. The collection concerns the negotiations surrounding the Treaty of Ghent and accusations of corruption made against Levett Harris.

The collection is arranged into two series: “Series I: Correspondence, 1814-1816” and “Series II: Other Materials, 1820.”

“Series I: Correspondence, 1814-1816” consists of 11 autographed signed letters and 2 signed letters to Levett Harris, the American consul and later charge d’affaires in Russia, from John Quincy Adams, then Chief Plenipotentiary of the American delegation negotiating the Treaty of Ghent, and later President of the United States of America. Additionally, it contains 2 autographed signed letters to Levett Harris from Louisa Catherine Adams, John Quincy Adams’ wife. “Series II: Other Materials, 1820” consists of the original, handwritten draft of Exposè, Levett Harris’ response to accusations that he had used his office corruptly for personal gain.

The letters in this collection provide a unique insight into the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. John Quincy Adams, was in charge of negotiating the treaty, and these letters contain his observations on the course of the negotiations, as related to the American consul in Russia, Levett Harris. Additionally, the collection contains the original draft of Expose, which was Levett Harris’ response to accusations of corruption made by W.D. Lewis, an American merchant residing in Russia during Harris’ time there. This collection would be a useful resource for researchers interested in the War of 1812, the early career of John Quincy Adams, and the corruption charges brought against Levett Harris.