Circular Letter to Governors, 6 December 1804
Circular Letter to Governors
Department of State Decr. 6th. 1804.
Sir.
Agreeably to an Act of Congress entitled, “an act for the more general promulgation of the Laws of the U:States,” passed 3d. March 1795, and the acts in addition thereto passed on the 2d. March 1799 & on the 27th. March 1804, I have transmitted to the Collector of the Customs of 1 copies of the laws of the U:States 1st. Session 8th. Congress, being the proportion for the State of 2 with a request that he would forward them to your Excellency. I am &c.
James Madison
| Mems: H.R | No. copies to each state | |||
| New Hampshire | 1 Box | 310 | 5 | 310 |
| Massachusetts | 2, do | 2.325 & 2,202 | 17 | 1,054 |
| Vermont | 1 | 248 | 4 | 248 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 124 | 2 | 124. |
| Connecticut | 2 | 1,209. & 1.225 | 7 | 434 |
| New york | 4 | 2,300. 1.249. 1.205 | 17 | 1,054 |
| New Jersey | 2 | 1.172. 1.200 | 6 | 372 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 3,300 1–216 | 18 | 1,116 |
| Delaware | 1 | 62 | 1 | 62 |
| Maryland | 2 | 1.258 1.300 | 9 | 558 |
| Virginia | 5 | 4,300 1,164 | 22 | 1,364 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 3.248 | 12 | 744 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 2,248 | 8 | 496 |
| Georgia | 1. | 1.248 | 4 | 248 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 1.372 | 6 | 372 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 1.186 | 3 | 186 |
| Ohio | 1 ” | 62 | 1 | 62 |
| Indiana Ty. | 1 ” | 62 | 1 | 62 |
| Mississippi Ty. | 1 | 62 | 1. | 62 |
| 144 | 8928 (62) | |||
| 864. | ||||
| 288 | ||||
| 288 |
Note.
1 Box Contg. 260 copies of the laws 1st. Session
7th Congress—sent 14 Decr. 1804 to the Govr. of South Carolina to make up a deficiency
Letterbook copy (DNA: RG 59, DL, vol. 14); RCs (CtHi; MHi; CStbK; R-Ar). RCs are addressed to Arthur Fenner of Rhode Island, Caleb Strong of Massachusetts, Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut, and to “The Governor of the Mississipi Territory” (Cato West was acting governor of the territory); in a clerk’s hand, signed by JM. Another RC, addressed to Thomas McKean of Pennsylvania, was offered for sale in 1994 by Historical Documents International, Inc., of Bedford, N.H. RCs lack the notes shown in the letterbook copy.
1. Left blank in letterbook copy. RCs have “Collector of the Customs in Philadelphia” followed by the number of copies intended for each state filled in.
2. Left blank in letterbook copy. RCs have the appropriate state or territory name filled in.