The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-04
Commands. etc. will be more fuily re- ferred to hereinafter.
 

Commands, etc, will be more fully re- ferred to hereinafter.
 State Papers.
 At your last annual meeting special authority was given for procuring Transcripts from the archives of Great Britain of all documents affecting our territory during Its occupation. Through the very generous and cordial cooperation of Peter J. Hamilton. Esq, one of your number. I have been recefv- ing consignments from Messrs. B. F. Stevens & Brown. copyists, of a large number of most interesting and import ant papers. It Is planned to continue the work of transcription until 1t IS completed. These are all, as you are advised, to be included in our State papers series
 have also procured a large number of transcripts of papers and letters from the manuscripts of General An drew Jackson, now in the Library or Congress, for use in the volume of this l series devoted to our Territorial period. The thanks of the Department are due Dr. Herbert Putnam. Librarian of Con- gress and also to Worthington c. Ford, chief of the division of manuscripts, for courtesics incident to securing these tra anscripts. Alabama Local History Collection. The very valuable collection of Ala bama local history, heretofore planned | for publication, has been materially strengthened during the year, and Is now practically ready for the printer. | This series when completed and pub | lished will be of inestimable value. The materials collected will certainly i form the basis for future local histori- l cal effort. At present these sketches and papers are hid away in inaccessi- | ble newspaper files or in forgotten p-books. When published they will not only show our strength as a. State. but will also show that our peo- | pie are proud of their history and that much more has been preserved con- corning it than is popularly believed. Bulletins.
 l The necessity and importance of a. series of occasional bulletins was sug- gested In the first official circular (No. | D issued by the Department. During | the current year this series has been | begun and the three following have been projected:
 Growth, Activities and Aspirations of | the Department of Archives and His l tory. August 1, 1904. Svo. pp.4S. Bulletin No. 2.--Histnry of the First | Regiment Alabama Volunteer Infan- | try, c. s. A., by Edward Young Me-
 Worries. August 2, 1904. svo. pp. l 49-190.
 Bulletin No. 3.-Check List of the
 Newspaper Files in the Department of | Archives and History September 30. 1904. 8vo. pp. 191-255.
 The first Is intended to set forth all
 of the facts involved in the establish ment of the Department, with an &C., count of what 1t Is accomplishing and what 1t proposes in the way of future development and enlargement. The second Is published in order to meet the demand for a model history in the
 further preparation of the series Of
 Narrative Histories or Historical Sketches of Alabama commands. The
 third is compiled to present a conven-
 tent guide to the newspaper treasures
 in the Department collections. These
 bear an individual pagination, and also a continuous pagination in order that they may later be brought together in a collected volume, with title. index etc.
 CircuIars
 The following circulars have been is- sued, for use in the administrative
 work of the Department. since the last annual meeting:
 Circular No. 4.-General Informa- tion; Growth and Work of the Depart
 ment. October 1. 1903. svo. pp. 4. Circular No. 5.-Act of the General Assembly Establishing the Department
 of Archives and History. October |. 1903. Svo. pp. 4.
 Circular No. e.-The Compilation of Narrative Histories or Historical
 War Between the States. 18e1-1S65. .
 September 30, 1904. svo. pp. '. State archives.
 The official manuscript books, rec | ords. documents, letters and files of the State, as contained in its several offices, departments and boards, are technical ly the State archives. These are of the highest value to the historian. They also have a great practical value for business purposes, cs often times large property as well as delicate per-
 sonal interests are dependent upon them. Since the foundation of the ter
 ritorial government in 1877, these rec
 ords have normally accumulated Tn
 large numbers, and with the multipli-
 cation of offices they have still fur
 ther increased. With limited ofice
 room and with the necessity for all
 available space for current busln ess
 in many cases been neglected, and in
 some instances have been destroyed.
 No officer. or administration, is charg-
 able with this neglect, indifference and
 inattention.
 In order to remedy the evil and to avoid further losses, the Legislature in
 establishing this Department. not only
 charged 1t with the care and custody
 of official archives" but embodied the
 word Archives" in the Department
 designation /or title itself. thus evil
 dencing It's profound interest in the
 subject. The Department is, there
 fore, for practical purposes, in part hall of records. It's importance, dig-
 nity and practical value to the people
 of the State becomes more than ever
 manifest.
 The words official archives" are properly construed to mean only the
 manuscript books. records, documents. letters and files not in current use. The offices, departments and boards in- cluded are the Governor. the Secretary l of State, the Auditor, the Treasurer. i the Attorney General, the Superinten- dent of Education. the Adjutant Gen
 eral, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries the Convict Bureau. the State Board of Health. the Railroad