memoranda which he had been able to make of papers already in possession of the State, the Agent was constantly exposed to the chance of copying duplicates and the more ;

so, as he was obliged to make his selections upon a prompt exercise of judgment, and without proper opportunities for comparison. All documents about which there was no doubt were at once selected for transcription ; and, on the other hand, such as were

positively known to be in existence at Albany, in a complete form, were passed by.

But the temptation to secure everything in any way illustrating our history, of the actual possession of which, by the State, there appeared to be any uncertainty, was ever

strong. The duty of the Agent, as defined by the law, was to procure all such documents, " relating to or in any way affecting the Colonial or other history" of New- York, as he might " deem important to illustrate that history ;" and in executing this very comprehensive trust he was instructed to use a " sound and wise discretion." It

was thought that this discretion would be most advantageously exercised by securing, while there was a favorable opportunity of doing so, all papers coming within the terms of the law, the suppression or omission of which might, in the judgment of competent historical authority, leave incomplete the public records of the State. Moreover, it was always considered that the object of the Agency was to add documents to the archives of the State, and not to procure and prepare the materials of a work for publication. Besides, the existence of duplicates of documents from different sources,