See also this chapter under " Prisoners."

Introduction 61

Van Rensselaer to come before it at his earliest convenience, and exhibit at that time the contents of that letter. It is

regrettable that the subject-matter is not revealed. A perspective view has been presented in these chapters of the magnitude of the work with which commissioners for detecting and defeating conspiracies were entrusted by the legislature of New York. It is a soul-harrowing picture in the

annals of the American Revolution.

Victor Hugo Paltsits. March 17, 1909.

THE MANUSCRIPT

The manuscript minutes of the Albany County board of commissioners for detecting and defeating conspiracies in the State of New York, are contained in two small folio volumes, foolscap size of the period. The paper is a good linen texture, of three kinds of stock. The watermark of the first volume (pp. 1-244), is " Pro Patria " inscription and the Dutch lion rampant in a stockade, having a sabre in his right fore paw and a brace of seven arrows in his left fore paw, with a liberty bell hanging at the gate of the enclosure. The second volume is a composite, of which pp. 1-79 and 135-489, as well as blank leaves, contain only the conventional waterlines from top to bottom; pp. 80-134, an insert, have a watermark with the letters " O G R." The contents of the volumes, blank pages not counted, are as follows: Vol. 1. -- Minutes from April 13, 1778, to December 8, 1778, on pp. 1-239; oaths, on pp. 240-243. Vol. 2. -- Minutes from December 9, 1778, to August 30, 1781, on pp. 1-489. Manifestly, the minutes are incomplete, and end abruptly on August 30, 1781. Leonard Gansevoort, Jr., took his oath of office on April 24, 1778, and was to be paid " whenever an Entry is made in this Book His pay-bilb for services in the secretarial capacity, from April 13, 1778, to April 22, 1780, and from June 28, 1780, to April 29, 1783, was certified by members of the Albany County board on * Revolutionary Manuscripts, vol. 40, p. 161, in State Comptroller's office.