The correspondence has been arranged chronologically, with letters from Charles Cowper, Lord Belmore, Sir Henry Parkes and the Samuel Family separated into distinct groups. Most of the correspondence with Charles Cowper is dated 1870 and relates to Samuel's resignation from the Executive Council. The letters from Lord Belmore are dated 1868-85, with many written 1868-72, when he was Governor of New South Wales. The largest group contains letters from a number of correspondents dealing with personal matters and official business such as appointments, securing loans and relations with the Colonial Office.