Scope and Content: Resolutions of the General Court deal with matters of a temporary nature, such as congratulations or memorials to Congress.  Certified copies of joint resolutions (i.e., of both chambers) have been sent to Congress to certify ratification by the legislature of amendments to the U.S. Constitution (US Const Art 5).  Copies contained in this series are engrossed on parchment and may also include signatures of the House and Senate clerks and state secretary.  Original papers are found in: House unpassed legislation ((M-Ar)230) or: Senate unpassed legislation ((M-Ar)231)
Notes: The state secretary is custodian of this and other foundation records of the Commonwealth
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Scope and Content: County commissioners were required by St 1840, c 90 to submit a return to the state secretary of information concerning the highways constructed in the preceding year.  Returns reported estimated and actual costs of construction for new highways and alterations.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 42
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Scope and Content: By various acts intended to regulate the inspection of goods sold in or exported from the Commonwealth, appointed public inspectors were required to submit annual reports to the state secretary.  Returns contain quantity, quality, and weight of article inspected and the names of individual businesses.
Arrangement: Arranged by inspector title, thereunder chronologically
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, boxes 35-41
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Scope and Content: In order to gather information about poll tax policies, the state secretary surveyed colleagues in the other states.  Series consists of letters in response to the secretary’s queries.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 57
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Scope and Content: During the Revolutionary War, families of Continental Army soldiers in Massachusetts lacked money to pay for supplies sold at rapidly inflating prices.  To assist them, Resolves 1777-78, c 406 (Oct. 10, 1777) provided that towns must provide supplies to the families of noncommissioned officers and privates at rates set by the act “to prevent monopoly and oppression” (St 1776-77, c 14, Jan. 25, 1777)–except in cases where soldiers had received sufficient bounty payments to afford the extra cost–for a period of three years or for the duration of the war, as chosen by soldier at enlistment.  Resolves 1778-79, c 446 (Feb. 6, 1779) directed towns to keep exact accounts of supplies distributed in order to be reimbursed by the state, which would in turn receive settlement from the soldiers for amounts charged to them, when service pay was received (see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Certificates of payment for the Continental Army ((M-Ar)58X)) –Resolves 1779-80, c 67 (June 8, 1779) provided for a system of recording the accounts, which were to be sent to the General Court.  Examination of the accounts was done by the Committee on Accounts, in accordance with Resolves 1777-78, c 12 (June 5, 1777).  Additional legislation stipulated that towns’ supply and bounty (paid for military service) accounts up to Oct. 15, 1779  be lodged with the state secretary’s office (Resolves 1779-80, c 470, Oct. 8, 1779), that the Committee on Accounts would give a roll of sums due to each town to the treasurer’s office (Resolves 1779-80, c 653, Dec. 20, 1779), and that the Council would issue warrants for corresponding payment of towns to the treasurer’s office (Resolves 1779-80, c 915, Apr. 3, 1780).  Finally, Resolves 1779-80, c 933 (Apr. 7, 1780), reaffirmed town obligations to provide supplies until the end of soldier’s term of service.
Arrangement: Alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by locality
Notes: Box 1. Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol.  Box 2. Essex, Franklin, Hampden.  Box 3. Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth.  Box 4. Suffolk, Worcester (thru Royalston).  Box 5. Worcester (Rutland- Winchendon).  Box 6. Cumberland, Lincoln, York (Maine) –Many towns in Middlesex and Plymouth counties lacking
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Scope and Content: Resolves 1806, Jan 1807 Sess, c 45, in response to an 1803 petition from towns in the District of Maine, required Maine towns, districts, and plantations to hold an Apr. 6, l807 vote on the question of separating Maine from Massachusetts as a state.  The vote, the third such authorized by the General Court, was open to all qualified to vote for its members.  Returns of the vote were submitted to the state secretary pursuant to the resolve.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by town
Notes: Forms part of: Separation of Maine papers
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Scope and Content: Resolves 1815, c 157, in response to petitions from the District of Maine (see: Massachusetts. General Court. Petitions of 1816 from Maine supporting separation of Maine from Massachusetts ((M-Ar)97X)) required Maine towns, districts, and plantations to hold a May 20, 1816 vote on the question of separating Maine from Massachusetts as a state.  The vote, the fourth such authorized by the General Court, was open to all qualified to vote for Maine senators.  Returns of the vote were submitted to the state secretary pursuant to the resolve.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder by town
Notes: Forms part of: Separation of Maine papers
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Scope and Content: St 1819, c 161, in response to petitions from the District of Maine (see: Massachusetts. General Court. Petitions of 1819 from Maine towns supporting separation of Maine from Massachusetts ((M-Ar)100X)), required Maine towns, districts, and plantations to hold a July 26, 1819 vote on the question of separation.  The vote, the sixth such authorized by the General Court, was open to all qualified to vote for its senators or for governor.  Returns of the vote were submitted to the state secretary pursuant to the act.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by county, thereunder alphabetically by town
Notes: Forms part of: Separation of Maine papers
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Scope and Content: Orders of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Jan. 30, 1827, required complete returns to the state secretary of the number of accounts (inventories) of executors, administrators, guardians, and trustees for 1823-1826 as filed with county probate registries.  Series consists of letters dated 1827 reporting the requested information.
Arrangement: Arranged by alphabetically by county
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 7
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Scope and Content: In 1858 the state secretary requested statements of municipal aggregate indebtedness and in 1870 (per order of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Feb. 21, 1870, pursuant to St 1870, c 76), the state secretary requested statements of municipal and county aggregate indebtedness. Series consists of signed and completed printed forms supplying the information.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, boxes 27 and 28
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