William Rufus King (1786-1853) was elected as Vice President of the United States under President Franklin Pierce in 1852, becoming the only Alabamian to ever be elected to executive office. Earlier, King served as a U.S. representative from North Carolina and as a senator from Alabama. He also served as minister to France under President James K. Polk.

In this letter, having just been elected to the U.S. Senate, King discusses Washington politics and his opinions surrounding contemporary political figures, such as President Martin Van Buren and Alabama politician and "Fire-Eater" William Lowndes Yancey. On President Van Buren, King writes, "What think you of the course of that contemptible wretch Martin Van Buren? He has barely united himself with the abolitionists and fanatics of the non slave holding states; abandoned every principle heretofore professed by him and violated every obligation of honor or gratitude." On Yancey, King writes "[Yancey] has already sunk himself so low in the estimation of the intelligent Democracy of Alabama that he cannot find a lower depth."

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