" To the end that the Historian may come to this work with all the advantages which its importance demands, your memorialists pray " That an appropriation be made by your honorable body, at its present session, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of an Agent, to be sent, under the direction of this Society, in the name and by the authority of this State, to ask for and procure from the governments of England and Holland, if possible, the originals, and if not, copies, of all documents, letters, correspondences and papers in their archives and public offices, which relate to or in any way affect our Colonial history and our War of Revolution ; and that the same, when procured, be deposited for safe keeping with your memorialists. "P. G. STUYVESANT, [ L. s. ] "President of the New -York Historical Society. " JOHN C. JAY, " Rec. Secretary of the New - York Historical Society."

This memorial was communicated to the Legislature, in the following message from the Governor to the Assembly, on the 5th of February, 1839 :

" I have the honor to transmit a memorial from the New -York Historical Society, praying for the passage of a law authorizing the appointment of an Agent to visit Europe, to transcribe documents remaining in the public offices of the governments of England and Holland, illustrating the Colonial history of this State. " It would advance the cause of free government throughout the world, and it is due to ourselves, to the memory of our predecessors, and to a just regard for the respect of posterity, that every important circumstance connected with the rise and progress of our free institutions should be recorded and illustrated.