REPORT TO THE HON. THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK. The Trustees of the State Library RESPECTFULLY REPORT: That, during the last year a valuable addition has been made to the Law Library, of the current American and British Reports, with a number of treatises on various branches of law and equity, From the library of the late Justice Story, amongst others, several of the standard writers on civil law have been obtained. That portion of the library which is usually denominated "Statute Law and State Papers," has been materially enlarged. The Session Laws of most of the States for the last year have been added, with a few of the Colonial enactments. Twenty-six volumes, containing reports of the debates in Congress, and extending but with intervals, as far back as 1789, have also been procured. Every effort will be made to complete this series. The Journals of the Senate and Assembly of the State, have, through the kindness of the Secretary of State, been rendered as complete as the copies under his care will permit, and the Trustees have also purchased from the descendants of the late Matthew Visscher, the manuscript proceedings of the Albany Committee of Safety and Correspondence during the early years of the Revolution, (1775–78) and also the proceedings of a committee appointed by the Legislature during that period, to inquire into the cases of disaffected per sons. The series of English Parliamentary Debates, (known under the names of Cobbett and Hansard,) has been increased from thirty-six to one hundred and eighty-seven volumes, and it is thus brought down nearly to the end of the session that has just expired. Several important reports on the English Courts of Law have also been procured. And a large number of official publications by the various Departments of the Government of France have been presented by the Ministers in charge of them, and transmitted by the unwearied friend of New-York and its library, M. Vattermare. The catalogue accompanying this report will also exhibit the works procured for the Miscellaneous Library. The Trustees have been enabled, notwithstanding the active competition and great demand for works treating of the United States, to add many valuable books to the already large collection in this department. They have also placed in the library the principal works on Science and Literature that have issued from the press in this country and Great Britain during the last year. But they would do injustice as well to their own feelings, as to the liberality of the donors to the State Library, were they not to express their sense of the valuable and important additions thus made. The magnificent present received from the King of Prussia, has justly commanded universal admiration. The King of Holland has also presented splendid works on the Natural History of his East India possessions, while several of the Ministers of the French Government have continued their kindness in augmenting the rich collection of official documents that have been previously received. The Legislature of Canada, many of our American Literary and Scientific Societies, and a large number of individuals, both at home and abroad, have evinced their good wishes by the magnitude and value of their presents. It cannot be invidious to select from among these for special acknowledgment, the magnificent volume of engravings, given by Mr. John L. Stephens, and illustrative of those travels by which he has gained such a wide spread and deserved celebrity. The books referred to in the last annual report, as still wanting to complete the collection purchased from the late Mr. Warden, have been safely received, and the Comptroller has been duly notified that his legal representatives have thus become entitled to the amount authorized by the liberality of your predecessors. Since the adjournment of the Convention, the improvements directed by the enactments of the last Legislature to be made, have been completed. The law rooms have been thrown into one and connected with the Miscellaneous department, while all the floors have been carpeted. The trustees cherish the belief that they have fulfilled the wishes and intentions of the constituted authorities in this matter, and that the appearance and arrangement of the rooms are worthy of the object to which they are devoted, and of the munificence of the State. The doors of the book-cases in the Miscellaneous Library have also been completed during the present season. The necessity for these, as formerly recommended, has been further shown by the annual report of the Librarian, in which he states that several volumes have been lost previous to their erection. A catalogue of books thus missing is subjoined. The following papers accompany this report: 1. Catalogue of books, maps, engravings, &c., added to the Library from the 1st of January, 1846, to the 1st of January, 1847, marked A. 2. Donations to the library during the same period, marked B. 3. Account current of the Secretary of the Regents, ex-officio Treasurer of the Library Fund, of moneys received and expended in the purchase of books, marked C. To this is subjoined a similar statement of cash received for the sale of duplicate works, and the expenditure of the same in payment for binding books; also an account of the partial disposition of the fund granted for making interchanges of statistical and other scientific works with foreign countries. The contingent expenses of the library as audited by the trustees are also stated, including those for stationery and candles. 4. List of books reported to be missing, marked D. By order of the Trustees of the State Library. PETER WENDELL, Chancellor. T. ROMEYN BECK, Secretary. Albany, January 14, 1847. |