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concerns of the government, to be furnished with references to some of the sources and means of acquiring such information.

To the uninitiated, the accumulated mass of books, records, and documents, contained in the public archives, is calculated to dampen the ardor, if not to repulse the ordinary scholar or man of business from the attempt to fathom the depths of the arcana; and the present effort of the author and compiler to aid in this undertaking is more with the view of essaying a treatise which by extension and improvement may hereafter become a vade mecum to the statesman and legislator, and subserving the public interest and convenience, than with the hope of effecting such object in the present edition. The design of this undertaking is simply to refer to and briefly describe the books, records, and documents of a public character, to be found in the public archives at the Seat of Government, constituting the principal sources of political and statistical information. With a view of preserving perspicuity in the system, the whole will be arranged into classes and sections, as follows, viz.:

CLASS No. 1.

THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND DOCUMENTARY AND OTHER HISTORY OF THE REVOLUTION.

Sec. 1. COLONEL PETER FORCE'S AMERICAN ARCHIVES: Consisting of a collection of authentic records, state papers, debates, and letters and other notices of public affairs: the whole forming A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY of the origin and progress of the North American Colonies; of the causes and accomplishment of the American Revolution; and of the Constitution of Government for the United States, to the final ratification thereof.

IN SIX SERIES.

First Series. From the discovery and settlement of the North American Colonies to the revolution in England, in 1688.

Second Series. From the revolution in England, in 1688, to the cession of Canada to Great Britain, by treaty at Paris, in 1763.

Third Series. From the cession of Canada, in 1763, to the king's message to Parliament, of March 7, 1774, on the proceedings in North America.

Fourth Series. From the king's message of March 7, 1774, to the Declaration of Independence by the United States, in 1776.

Fifth Series. From the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, to the definitive treaty of peace with Great Britain, in 1783.

Sixth Series. From the treaty of peace, in 1783, to the final ratification of the

Constitution of Government for the United States, proposed by the convention held at Philadelphia in 1787.

[Of this work, the fourth series only, in six volumes, has been completed, the other parts being in progress of execution.]

This work was authorized by the "Act making provision for the publication of the Documentary History of the American Revolution," approved March 2, 1833, which directs that it be distributed in the same manner as the American State Papers, under the resolution of July 10, 1832. It was further distributed by the general appropriation act of March 3, 1839.

CLASS No. 2.

LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS AND ACTS OF THE CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVOLUTION TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.

Sec. 1. THE PUBLIC JOURNAL OF CONGRESS, contained in 4 volumes

octavo:

Vol. 1. From September 5, 1774, to December 31, 1776.

Vol. 2. From January 1, 1777, to July 31, 1778.

Vol. 3. From August 1, 1778, to March 31, 1782.

Vol. 4. From April 1, 1782, to March 3, 1789.

This edition was published by Way & Gideon, in 1823; each volume having a separate index. The addresses to the king, Parliament, and people of Great Britain, and other documents preceding and succeeding the commencement of hostilities and the Declaration of Independence, are contained in vol. 1. The Articles of Confederation are contained in vol. 2. And the Journal of the Committee of the States empowered to act for Congress in the recess from June 4 to August 19, 1784; the powers to the Board of Treasury to contract for the sale of the western territory; contracts for moneys borrowed in Europe; credentials of deputies from the States to the convention that formed the Constitution; the Constitution; the ratifications of the Constitution by the conventions of the several States, are contained in vol. 4.

Sec. 2. THE SECRET JOURNALS OF THE CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION, in four volumes:

Vol. 1. On Domestic Affairs, from 1774 to 1788; History of the Confederation. Vol. 2. On Foreign Affairs, from 1774 to August 16, 1781.

Vol. 3. On Foreign Affairs, from July, 1781, to May 15, 1786.

Vol. 4. On Foreign Affairs, from May 17, 1786, to September 16, 1788.

CLASS No. 3.

Sec. 1. THE JOURNAL, ACTS, AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION WHICH FORMED THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, FROM MAY 14 TO SEPTEMBER 17, 1787: In one volume, pub lished under a resolution of Congress of March 27, 1818.

This volume contains the credentials of the deputies to the Convention, the Constitution, the ratifications by the State conventions, &c.

Sec. 2. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES: a critically correct copy of which, together with an analytical index, are the prominent objects of this book. The former will be found at page 1, and the latter at page 37, of this volume.

Sec. 3. THE DEBATES IN THE CONVENTION WHICH FORMED THE CONSTITUTION, AND IN THE STATE CONVENTIONS FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE SAME: In four volumes, published by Jonathan

Elliott:

Vol. 1 contains the Debates in Massachusetts and New York

Vol. 2 contains the Debates in Virginia.

Vol. 3 contains the Debates in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Vol. 4 contains

1. Index to Journal of Federal Convention.

2. Index to Secret Debates of, Ditto.

3. Index to Congressional Opinions on Constitutional questions, from 1789 to 1830.

4. Articles of Confederation.

5. Memoranda relative to drafts and plans in convention that formed the Constitution-names of the Members-their Credentials-Journal of the Convention, &c. &c.-Edmund Randolph's proposition-Charles Pinckney's draft-William Patterson's proposition-David Brereley's draft-Alexander Hamilton's plan― James Madison's minutes of the proceedings.

6. Ratifications of the Constitution by the States, &c.

7. Digest of decisions in the courts of the Union involving Constitutional prin ciples.

8. Secret proceedings of the Federal Convention; Luther Martin's information to Legislature of Maryland; Robert Yates' minutes and notes of debates, &c.

9. Reasons of Robert Yates, John Lansing, jun., and Edmund Randolph for not signing the Constitution.

10. Opinions selected from debates in Congress involving Constitutional prin ciples from 1789 to 1830.

11. James Madison's letters on the Constitutionality of the Tariff, in September and October, 1828.

12. Opinions of Washington, Jefferson, and Madison on the subject.

13. Chart of State constitutions in 1830.

Sec. 4. THE FEDERALIST; Being a collection of able essays in explanation of the prominent articles of the Constitution, and in vindication of its principles, by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, all over the signature of "Publius," and considered of high authority in explanation and in elucidation of that paramount law.

CLASS No. 4.

THE JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, FROM MARCH 4, 1789, TO MARCH 3, 1851.

This Journal as re-printed by order of the House of Representatives, from the commencement to March 3, 1815, is contained in 9 volumes octavo; each having one index.

Sec. 1. Vol. 1. From March 4, 1789, to March 2, 1793.
Vol. 2. From December 2, 1793, to March 3, 1797.
Vol. 3. From May 15, 1797, to March 3, 1801.
Vol. 4. From December 7, 1801, to March 27, 1804.
Vol. 5. From November 5, 1804, to March 3, 1807.
Vol. 6. From October 26, 1807, to March 3, 1809.
Vol. 7. From May 22, 1809, to March 3, 1811.

Vol. 8. From November 4, 1811, to March 3, 1813.

Vol. 9. From May 24, 1813, to March 2, 1815.

Sec. 2. This Journal from March 3, 1815, to March 3, 1851, is contained in 38 volumes, octavo, being one for each session. Each volume having an index.

CLASS No. 5.

THE LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL OF THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, FROM MARCH 4, 1789, TO MARCH 3, 1851.

This Journal as re-printed by order of the Senate, from the commencement to March 3, 1815, is contained in 5 volumes octavo :

Sec. 1. Vol. 1. From March 4, 1789, to March 2, 1793, containing 5 separate in

dexes to its contents.

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Vol. 2. From March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1799. Vol. 3. From March 4, 1799, to March 3, 1805. Vol. 4. From March 4, 1805, to March 3, 1811. Vol. 5. From March 4, 1811, to March 3, 1815. Sec. 2. This Journal, from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1851, is contained in 38 volumes octavo, being one for each Legislative session. Each volume having an index.

CLASS No. 6.

THE EXECUTIVE JOURNAL OF THE SENATE, FROM MARCH 4, 1789, TO MARCH 3, 1851.

This Journal, from the commencement to March 3, 1829, from all of which the injunction of secrecy has been removed, has been printed in 3 volumes octavo, by order of the Senate. Each volume having an index.

Sec. 1. Vol. 1. From March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1805.

Vol. 2. From March 4, 1805, to March 3, 1815.

Vol. 3. From March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1829.

Sec. 2. Those parts of the Executive Journal from which the injunction of secrecy has been removed, from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1851, will be found printed as an appendix to the Legislative Journal of the session when the injunction was removed.

Sec. 3. The Executive Journal of the Senate from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1851, from which the injunction of secrecy has not been removed, is contained alone in manuscript record-books, and is accessible only to the President, to the Members, the Secretary and certain officers of the Senate. No extract from this record can be furnished, except by special order of the Senate.

CLASS No. 7.

THE JOURNAL OR RECORD OF THE SENATE ON TRIALS OF IM

PEACHMENT, FROM MARCH 4, 1789, TO MARCH 3, 1851.

Sec. 1. On the trial of Williain Blount, a Senator of the United States, from December 17, 1798, to January 14, 1799.

Sec. 2. On the trial of John Pickering, Judge of the New Hampshire District, from March 3, 1803, to March 12, 1803.

Sec. 3. On the trial of Samuel Chase, one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, from November 30, 1804, to March 1, 1805.

The preceding cases will be found as an appendix to the third volume of the Legislative Journal of the Senate.

Sec. 4. On the trial of James H. Peck, Judge of the Missouri District, from May 11, 1830, to May 25, 1830; and from December, 13, 1830, to January 31, 1831.

The proceedings in this case will be found as an appendix to the Legislative Journal of the Senate of 1830, 1831.

THE LEGISLATIVE JOURNALS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, exhibit the action of Congress from the establishment of the Government under the Constitution, in the introduction, progress and enactment of the Laws of the United States; they contain a record of the introduction by individual members of petitions, motions or resolutions, and bills; notices of the reports of all committees, the names of the members voting on all subjects where the yeas and nays are demanded; all the messages from the President of the United States to either House of Congress, and the inaugural addresses, from the commencement of the Government, will be found at length upon the journals; a brief statement of the subject of every report or communication from the several Executive Departments and Bureaus is entered upon the Journal of the House to which it may be directed; acts and resolutions of the State Legislatures are entered upon the Journals; schedules of the electoral votes for President and Vice President are placed upon the Journals of both Houses, and the names of the members with those of the States which they represent are entered on the Journals of the respective Houses on the days of their first attendance at each session.

The volumes of Journals have indexes referring to the names of peti tioners, members, States, Executive Departments, Presidents' messages, committees, motions, resolutions and bills with references to all the proceedings thereon, and generally to all the subjects treated of in the body of the Journal.

But with the exception of the cases above stated, the reasons for or grounds of Legislation, from their voluminous nature and their number, could not be embodied within the narrow compass of the Journals.

These are contained in the manuscript files and records, the printed

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