Scope and Content: By its constitutional authority to provide advice and consent to the governor, the Council approves the granting of pardons, including commutations and respites (Const Pt 2, C 2, S 2, Art 8). Pardon files include all relevant information concerning petitions for pardons and commutations that the Governor has denied or that have become inactive (and which therefore do not require Council endorsement but that are nonetheless maintained by the Council). –For 1907-1935 see: Massachusetts. Council. Council pardon files ((M-Ar)328). For a listing of other related series see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Records of commissions, proclamations, pardons, and other official documents, 1713-1945 (bulk 1747-1936) ((M-Ar)161X)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by varying spans, thereunder alphabetically by petitioner
Restrictions: Correspondence: Evaluative information restricted by statutory provision; for conditions of access consult repository; MGLA c 4, s 7, c 26 (c ) and c 66A
Related Catalog Records:
Files of inactive pardons and pardons not granted [Massachusetts Council]
Council files [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: By its constitutional and statutory authority to provide advice and consent to the governor, the Council approves, among others, the appointments of judicial and quasi-judicial officers, the adjournment or prorogation of the General Court, the granting of pardons, and warrants authorizing expenditures from the Treasury. Council files contain letters and memoranda submitted by state agencies and offices communicating their intent to take actions that require the approval of the governor and his council as well as resolutions and orders issued by the governor and council. The content of the files varies over time as do the actions that require approval. –Petitions relating to slavery removed from individual files for digitization and now stored separately. –Correspondence consists of copies of letters from Council executive secretary communicating Council actions to appointees or other affected state officials. –Related records, 1913-1973, are in: Special reports and hearing transcripts ((M-Ar)774)
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Files; arranged chronologically (2) Correspondence, 1953-1960; arranged alphabetically by state agency, thereunder chronologically in reverse order
Notes: Boxes numbered: 0-249
Related Catalog Records:
Minutes [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: By its constitutional and statutory authority to provide advice and consent to the governor, the Council approves, among others, the appointments of judicial and quasi-judicial officers, the adjournment or prorogation of the General Court, the granting of pardons, and warrants authorizing expenditures from the Treasury. Minutes of Council meetings record all matters discussed and acted on by the Council.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:
Council pardon files [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: By its constitutional authority to provide advice and consent to the governor, the Council approves the granting of pardons, including commutations and respites (Const Pt 2, C 2, S 1, Art 8). Pardon files include all relevant information concerning petitions for pardons and commutations that the governor has approved and now require the Council’s endorsement. –Each file may contain petitions for pardon sent to the governor by or on behalf of a person convicted of a crime; reports and recommendations from the Parole Board (known in this capacity as the Advisory Board of Pardons), which include a description of each offense and conviction for which a pardon is sought; letters opposing or supporting the pardon, including those of recommendation verifying the applicant’s period of good citizenship; correspondence among interested parties concerning the status of petitions; and a copy of the letter from the governor to the Council advising it of his decision. Some files contain transcripts of hearings. Included is one document box containing typewritten alphabetical lists of persons pardoned in 1963, 1964, 1969, and 1970 and one containing sets of index cards of persons pardoned, 1953-1964. –For additional files see: Council files ((M-Ar)378). For related materials, 1861-1890, see: Massachusetts. Governor. Executive department letters ((M-Ar)567X). For a listing of other related series see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Records of commissions, proclamations, pardons, and other official documents, 1713-1945 (bulk 1747-1936)((M-Ar)161X)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year or year span, thereunder alphabetically by petitioner
Restrictions: Correspondence: Evaluative information restricted by statutory provision; for conditions of access consult repository; MGLA c 4, s 7, c 26 (c) and c 66A
Related Catalog Records:
Executive records [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: The Council (under the governor except 1775-1780) functioned as the executive counterpart of the upper house of the General Court under the colonial charter, 1629-1686; as the executive (sole) government, 1686-1689; and both as upper house of the General Court and executive body under the revival of colonial government, 1689-1692, under the provincial charter, 1692-1774, and in the later Revolutionary period, 1775-1780. (There was a rival Council appointed by the English Crown under Gov. Thomas Gage, 1774-1776.) Under the 1780 Constitution it is an advisory executive body to the governor separate from the General Court. Executive records (formerly known as: Council records) document the Council’s executive function during the colonial (1650-1656, and stray entries, 1660-1661 only), intercharter (1686-1687 only), provincial, and Revolutionary periods; and under the 1780 Constitution, which mandates a signed register of council actions (Const Pt 2, C 2, S 3, Art 5)
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by date of meeting
Notes: Records in general are transcripts: v. 2-11 (1686-1747) from the British State Paper Office, 1846-1851. From 1689 (not in this series) to 1776, many draft originals are in: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X), v. 81-86. (For details and listing of additional Massachusetts archives collection holdings, 1650-1774, see finding aid below.) From 1776 source document (but with less complete text at least in earlier years) is: Massachusetts Council. Minutes ((M-Ar)329) (see that series for detailed description of contents). From 1780 records are signed by councilors. Vol. 1-94 (1650-1881) bound as numbered (v. 74 in 2); thereafter bound annually only. Spine title: Council records
Related Catalog Records:
Petitions for appointment to the military [Massachusetts Council]
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically thereunder alphabetically by county
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection; box 88
Related Catalog Records:
Transcripts of letters concerning the Governor’s Council [Massachusetts Council]
Scope and Content: In Aug. 1774 the Council elected under the provincial charter by the General Court to serve both as its upper house and as executive body under the governor was displaced by councillors appointed by royal writ of mandamus to serve under Gov. Thomas Gage, colloquially known therefore as the Mandamus Council. These transcripts include minutes of royal Council meetings (to Oct. 1775) and correspondence involving the Council, British officials, and Gage, from the arrangement of his appointment as governor until after the British evacuation of Boston in Mar. 1776.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Copied from the British State Paper Office by Robert lemon in 1852 pursuant to instructions by state secretary Amasa Walker. Cover title: Letters & doings of the Council &c. between April 9, 1774 & April 21, 1776
Related Catalog Records:
Legal opinion records [Massachusetts State Ethics Commission]
Scope and Content: The State Ethics Commission, formed in 1978 to interpret and enforce conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws for government employees in Massachusetts, may, on written request from a person subject to MGLA c 268A-B, render advisory opinions on the applicability of these laws (MGLA c 268B, s 3(g)). Such an opinion shall be a defense in any criminal action brought under these chapters and shall be binding on the commission in any subsequent related proceedings. The commission also reviews opinions of corporation counsel, city solicitor, or town counsel on questions relating to municipal employees under MGLA c 268A (see s 22), per the commission’s municipal advisory opinion regulation
Arrangement: Arranged in four subseries:(1) Formal opinions(2) Informal opinions (3) Municipal opinions (4) Telephone logs; Arranged within each subseries by case number/chronologically
Restrictions: Legal opinions are considered confidential when requested, although resulting opinions may be published by the commission with all identifying information removed. Municipal opinions are similarly treated
Notes: Boxes 1-27 Formals; 28-29 EC-FD formals; 30-89 Informals; 90-98 Municipals; 99-100 Telephone logs
Related Catalog Records:
Press releases [Massachusetts State Ethics Commission]
Scope and Content: The State Ethics Commission was established as an independent agency to administer and enforce the conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws of Massachusetts as they apply to state and county candidates and elected officials and to state and county employees in major policy-making positions. The primary functions of this agency are to publish rules and regulations, including rules governing the conduct of statements and reports required from public officials; to compile and index those reports; and to inspect statements of financial interest. Additional responsibilities include investigation of alleged violations of the two statutes, enforcement of them, and review and evaluation of their impact and effectiveness.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Releases relating to statements of financial interest (2) Other; Arranged within each subseries chronologically
Notes: Box 1: Subseries (1), 1979-1992; Subseries (2), 1979-1982. Box 2: Subseries (2), 1983-Aug. 1988. Box 3: Subseries (2), Sept. 1988-1992
Related Catalog Records:
Designation lists [Massachusetts State Ethics Commission]
Scope and Content: All public officials in major policy-making positions within state and county government are mandated to file statements of financial disclosure with the State Ethics Commission. The commission is responsible for inspecting all filings for failure to conform to filing rules. This series was created to identify individuals in policy-making positions from lists compiled by designated individuals in constitutional and executive offices, the judiciary, and offices of the county commissioners and the House and Senate presidents.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year/year span (cf. finding aid), thereunder by agency
Notes: Changes/correspondence through 1998
Related Catalog Records:
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