E. B. O'Callaqhan, which, on the 5th of January, 1849, the Legislature ordered to be printed. In the following April, the Legislature directed the Secretary of State to cause to be printed a second volume of what was styled the " Documentary History"

of New -York. Of this work, four volumes, in all, have been published. They contain a miscellaneous compilation, among which are some of the manuscripts procured by the Historical Agent in Europe.

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GENERAL INTRODUCTION. xliii

It was thought by many, however, that such of the documents of the Agency as were in foreign languages should be translated, and that either the whole collection, or a selection of the naost important papers in it, should be published, as a distinct work, by the authority of the State. This proposition was favorably received, and a bill was introduced into the Legislature, which was passed into a law on the 30th of March, 1849, as follows

"AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THIS STATE. " Passed March 30, 1849, three-fifths beino present.' '

*' The People of the State of New -York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: " Section 1. The manuscript documents relating to the Colonial history of this State, now in the office of the Secretary of State, which were procured under and by virtue of an act of the Legislature, passed May 2, 1839, entitled ' An act to appoint an Agent to procure and transcribe documents in Europe relative to the Colonial history of this State,' or such portions thereof as the State officers hereinafter named shall deem advisable, shall be translated and printed for the use of the State. " <^ 2. The Governor, Secretary of State and Comptroller shall cause said documents to be prepared, printed, and bound in volumes of such size as they may determine upon, and for such purpose are hereby authorized to employ some suitable person to translate such parts thereof as are necessary, at a reasonable compensation to be fixed and certified by them.