The daily gazette., 1875-02-13
FIRST EDITION
The Lost Dela,Dafe Documents


Our readers will no doubt recollect
that Francis Vincent, while seeking
for materials to write his History Of
Delaware, succeeded in finding num-
Der of the lost records of the State, car
ried away mainly, it is supposed, in
1777, when the British captured Viii
mington. Besides others have been
taken away from the archives Of the
State since. The Senate has passed u
resolution, and appointed Messrs. RiI-
die and Shakespeare committee TO
inquire into the matter. They have
entered into a correspondence with Mr.
Vincent, who visited Philadelphia,
saw the present owner of the docu-
ments, gentleman of archaeological
tastes, who has a valuable collection of
antiquities and manuscripts in his pri
vate library, and succeeded ia getting
him TO agree to sell the same TO the
State should they desire to purchase
them. He has received the fol-
lowing letters from the gentle
man which tell only partially the
amount of Delaware annals that he has
on hand. These are the records the
Historical Society passed resolution,
ON motion OF Mr. Vincent, recommend
ing the State TO purchase.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 10, 1876.
FRANCIS VINCENT, ESQ. o.-Deaa' Sir ::
The following collection is in the Or
iginal manuscript in most excellent
condition, carefully bound in four vol
umcs, folio. There Is material for
another volume, besides the large col
lection of deeds, &c, viz:
The colonial and revolutionary doc
uments of the State of Delaware the
original messages of the different Pres
lucnts tor Govcrnors) of the State from
about 1910 10 1900; the original com
mtlnicatlons from Congress to the
state original documents relating to
the Delaware Regiment and Delaware
Navy list of the soldiers of different
companies; instructions from the State
to its Congressman minutes of tle
frivy Council original commissions
10 various State officials votes and
proceedings of the Houses of Repre-
sentatives, written and signed by the
Clerk and Speaker, also some ofthose
seized by the British and taken to
New lorl;-the State sending james
Booth, Clerk of the House, to New
York to receive them; minutes of the
Grand Council of the State of Della
ware, Tor the purpose of amending the
Constitution of the State in ii91
deeds of land from the Dutch Govern.
ors commencing about 1850; also the
translation of the deeds by Maureg-
nautt IN 1865; numerous old deeds
signed by Francis Swelace, ]. Alrichs
and others; State letters and documents
written and signed by John F. Paris,
Cesar Rodney, George Read, Cunning
Beaford, John Dickinson, Charles
Thompson, Henry Lawrence, Thomas
Mexican, ,StephenP. Hopkinson, David
T1lnney, Thomas Collins, Nicholas
Vandyke, Jacob Broom, Henry Lati-
mer' Patrick Henry, Richard Fl. Lee,
Robert Morris, Bishop White, Benz. |
ming, Joshua Clayton, Walter Liv-
ingstone, Lambden Cadwallader, Tim |
othy Pickering, Samuel A. Otis, Jas.
a, Eayard, Nicholas Ridgeley, James
sykes, Thomas Jefferson, John Penn,
| expect to present the char
ters of the Masonic Lodges to the |
GrandLodges Of the State of Delaware,
viz
Lodge at Dover, August 26, 1775 Il
at Wilmington, January 90, 1889 at
New Castle, March /, 1890; at Lewis
town, June 3, 1900; Newark, Dec. &,
1902
The above charters are on parch-
ment in good condition. - = The
documents OF the State of Delaware
are intensely interesting and should |
be possessed by the State.
Yours, &c.