Scope and Content: Until the passage of Resolves 1861, c 1, which provided for the appointment of a private secretary to the governor, the state secretary served in that capacity as well as being record keeper for the Commonwealth.  Executive correspondence maintained by the secretary documents subjects of special gubernatorial concern.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, boxes 2, 20, 55A, 56-57, 84, 93
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Scope and Content: In keeping with traditions established in the colonial period, the secretary of the Commonwealth is the custodian of the foundation records of Massachusetts.  This exemplification has been in the custody, successively, of the secretaries of the province and the Commonwealth.  The document, issued in 1685, attests to actions taken earlier by the king respecting the charter of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England (see series (M-Ar)23X)
Restrictions: Access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: On the reverse of the first leaf there are two inscriptions.  The first, in a contemporary hand, is as follows: An Exemplification for our Souaigne Lord the King Against the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.  The second, in a later hand, contains the legend: Exemplification of Proceedings Quo Warranto vacating the Colony  Charter by James 2d
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Scope and Content: Under the Provincial Charter ((M-Ar)26X), the Massachusetts House of Representatives (as the lower legislative house was generally known by 1705) and Gov. Samuel Shute (1716-1722) were in continual conflict as to their respective prerogatives, specifically in 1719 as to whether the governor could nullify the House’s choice of speaker, and in 1721, when the House undertook to adjourn itself without gubernatorial permission. The explanatory charter (this series) was issued by King George explicitly to state the governor’s authority over choice of House speaker and House adjournment.
Restrictions: Access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: In keeping with traditions established in the colonial period, the secretary of the Commonwealth is the custodian of the foundation records of Massachusetts
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Scope and Content: The state secretary, as official record keeper of the Commonwealth, received facsimiles of the official seals of other states and territories usually filed according to their own statutes.  Facsimiles include seals of New York, Kentucky, Oregon, California, and of the territory of Minnesota.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 20
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Scope and Content: As a corollary to the state secretary’s constitutional and statutory record-keeping function in relation to laws passed by the General Court, the secretary receives and maintains legal documents in cases where the state is a defendant or respondent.  Series documents litigation in which the state has been involved.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year in overlapping sequences
Notes:  Formerly part of Miscellaneous collection: boxes 89, 89A-J, 91, 92, 92A-D. Box 1: 1879-1903.  Box 2: 1904-1924.  Box 3: 1890-1926.  Box 4: 1927-1928
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Scope and Content: The state secretary, as custodian of the records of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is responsible for the care and filing of public documents.  Series was created as a compilation of the forms and some informational publications issued/used by the secretary’s main office and the units relating to public documents, legislation, archives, elections, corporations, and commissions.
Notes: Extracted from: Massachusetts. Elections Division. Subject files ((M- Ar)420)
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to St 1996, c 151, s 567, county government of Franklin County (Mass.) was abolished (b), its county commissioners reconstituted as the Franklin Council of Governments Committee (h), and all powers and dutiies previously conferred on the county and its commissioners retained by the Franklin Council of Governments (r) and the Committee, all effective July 1, 1997.  A regional charter commission (w) comprised of the committee and one selectmen-apppointed representative from each constituent municipality was to report a recommended structure of govenrment for the council by Dec. 31, 1977, such charter to be approved by majority vote of town meetings in a majority of towns or by majority vote in a county-wide election, to be effective July 1, 1998.  In fact the charter was approved by the former method and adopted effective July 1, 1997, providing for governance by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments through an administrative Executive Committee.  The state secretary, as chief record keeper for the Commonwealth, received a copy of the charter.
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Scope and Content: The state secretary has prepared listings of Massachusetts geographic names published under this title in successive editions of 1920, 1948, 1966, and 1975.  Series is probable source for these compilations and its data has been incorporated into an edition forthcoming as of 1995; additionally subseries (2) was probably used in indexing of: Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X).
Arrangement:  In two subseries: Subseries (1) Counties, towns, and districts (2 v.); Subseries (2) Indian/ancient names of towns (3 v.); arranged within each vol./list alphabetically. Subseries arranged within each vol./list alphabetically
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Scope and Content: In fulfilling its role as the record keeper for the Commonwealth and pursuant to MGLA 43B, s 12, the office of the state secretary receives certified copies of home rule charters and charter revisions that have been approved by a majority of voters of a municipality in accordance with Const Amend Art 89 (Home-Rule Amendment), adopted in 1966 and further enabled by St 1966, c 734. –By law these copies transmitted to the state secretary are to be kept in the custody of the Archives of the Commonwealth.  Additional copies are kept by the municipality (see: Massachusetts. Municipal Clerks. Charters–final reports (town clerk scheduled item) ((M-Ar)RS-2.14)), the secretary of communities and development, and the attorney general, whose office must have previously approved the charter. –It should be noted that a special legislative act consisting of a new or amended town charter–the only option available before the passage of the Home Rule Amendment (above)–may  still be necessary or appropriate when a municipality is seeking changes in its government that the Attorney General has determined go beyond or are inconsistent with applicable general or special laws.  Such acts are initiated by the filing of a home rule petition with the General Court. They may be found in the session laws for any given year, but are not included in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by municipality
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Scope and Content: The House clerk prepares and has printed each day a calendar of matters in order for consideration by the House of Representatives of the General Court and such other matters as the House or the House speaker may direct (House rules, 12).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year. Also known as: Orders of the day. No regular sessions held 1940, 1942, 1944
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