The collection consists mainly of speeches written by Converse between 1847-1848 on political, legal, cultural, and historical questions. Specific addresses include "Should a man be deposed from office on mere party grounds?", "National Adversity", "Popular Oratory", "The Light Literature of the Day", "Ought the testimony of an infidel to be received in a Court of Justice", "The Utility of Controversy", "[George] Washington", and "Have the citizens of the United States reasonable grounds to hope for the perpetuity of their present form of Govt." Also present are two letters (1850-1851) from Yale classmates to Converse.
