Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-11-28
Colonial and Revolutionary Documents.

Inc following letter from the Hon. ID. u. Swain to
His Excelency Gov. Bragg, which we have been
kindly permitted by the latter to lay before our read
ers, will be found highly interesting The zeal with
which for years Gov. Swain has prosecuted his re-
searches into the Colonial and Revolutionary annals
of the State, is we'll known; and the public will
learn, with much qualification that he has consent
ed to act as Agent of the State and to render any
services in his power to accomplish the wise and pa
triotc designs of the General Assembly. He has
already, it will be seen, procured copy of Gov.
Tryon's LetterBook; and he has been thus far quite
successful in his efforts to obtain information of the
kind desired from gentlemen in this and other States.
He is not that it will be indispensable to the
accomplishment of the liberal purposes of the Legs
ature, that Agent shall visit the mother country"
But we will not detain readers from the letter
CHAPEL HILL, goth Nov, 1856.
SIR L had the honor to receive, on the 18th
May last your letter of the previous day, commune
eating authenticated copies of the Resolutions of
the General Assembly of lS4S-'49 and 1s54,55,
authorizing the Governor to obtain from the proper
offices in London, documentary evidence in relation
to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of North
Carolina, and from the library of Harvard College
copy of Governor Tryon's Letter-book. The lat
ter Resolutions provide, that the agent to be ap
pointed by the Governor may, if he should deem it
necessary, visit London in the prosecution of his
searches, and that the necessary expenses of his
mission shall, on his return, be paid from the Pub
lie Treasury.
had previously in personal interview to which
your Excellency kindly invited me, consented to
render any services in my power to enable you to
effect the wise and patriotic designs of the General
Assembly. l was, at the time received your let
ter, on my way to Connecticut, and intended to
tend my journey to Cambridge, for the purpose Of
obtaining, with as little delay practicable, loan
of Governor Tryon's Letter book, that it might
be copied under my direction at home, or, if did
in q a haV n
copy made for me under the direction of the ibrari
an On my arrival at Hartford, however, received
information which induced me to decline the
tempated visit to Cambridge, and enter into
respondence with President Walker upon the SUBJ
ject. Ny letter received early and favorable atten-
tion and my friend, Jared Sparks, Ii. D., the i'm
mediate predecessor of President Walker, u
thoriZed to intimate to me the conditions which
a copy might be obtained.
Mr.. Sparks informed that under the regula-
tions Of the University, original manuscripts were
never allowed to be withdrawn from the library
but that in this instance, if authorized TO do So he
would have copy made for uno er his immediate
supervision, by an experienced copyist-a specimen
of whose handwriting he inclosed to me: that the
manuscript consisted of 523 pages-the pages
averaging about 800 words each-and that the
charge for copying would be six cents per copy
sheet of 100 words.
THE volume contains, 1st, Governor Tryon's
letters (apparenty Officially from October, 1864, to
December It'll; ID, The Minutes of the Council
College by Mr.. Stevens of London, who found it
there in the hands of bookseller. 1t then in
two separate volumes-one containing letters, the
other the Minutes of the Council. He had them
bound together in one. The two had all the APP
pcarancc of having been the original rccord-bookS
kept by Governor Tryon, while be was in office"
A letter from Mr.. Sparks, dated on the 4th inst
informs me that the copyist has finished his work,
and that the volume was then in the hands of the
binder Mr.. Morriss account, which you will
ceive herewith, amounts to one hundred and eight
dollars viz. 500 for copying, 50 for paper and
So for binding. L have no doubt that the copyISt
has performed his task with more than ordinary
neatncss and accuracy, and is well entitled to the
stipulated compensation. | have requested the
cashier of the Bank of the State remit the amount
due to him, and will draw upon you for so much of
the appropriation may be necessary to meet my
expenditures, when the book is received. Mr.
Sparks, to whom / am indebted for numerous acts
of Kindness will take the work into his possession
and retain it for me, until safe oppor
tunity for it's transmission
Whilst l have taken the necessary pains to
complish the purposes of the General Assembly, in
obtaining fo- the State this very important addition
TO the records of the Executive Department and TO
the information previously possessed in relation to
most interesting period of our history, have not
been mindful of the more arduous task contem.
plated by those Resolutions the duty Of endeavor-
ing to ascertain, as nearly | may be able, the
ture and extent of the materials which can be OBJ
tanned, to illustrate annals throughout the two
centuries which have elapsed since the earliest set
Element was formed within our borders.
| have made numerous enquiries of intelligent
gentlemen in this and other States of the Union,
who, 1 supposed, would be able either to supply in:
formation to indicate sources from whence L
might reasonably hope 20 obtain it; and these en-
quirics, l am happy to state, have met with en-
couraging success.
am taking the requisite pains to render myself
familiar with the materials for history at my COM
mand, so as to bc able in due time to form salts
factory opinion, whether it will be indispensable to
the accomplishment of the liberal purposes of the
Legislature that an agent shall visit the mother
country and search the ample and wcll-arranged
books and manuscripts, not to be obtained this
side of the Atlantic. So soon my collections
shall be as full and complete as l can reasonably
hope to make them from domestic sources and
shall have had opportunity to arrange and examine
them, will be prepared to communicate my views
pom all the subjects embraced by the Resolutions.
l am, with high consideration,
Your ob't servt
ID. L. SWAIN.
His Excellency, GOVERNOR BRAGG.