Scope and Content: The Commonwealth, in order to fulfill its responsibility to provide education to its deaf residents, was required to pay tuition to the American Asylum in Hartford (Resolves 1819, c 60) for students who qualified as state beneficiaries.  The state secretary was required to act as secretary to the governor to receive all communications, applications, and returns concerning the education of these indigent students.  This series contains those administrative records.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 84
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Scope and Content: Shippers’ affidavits were filed in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in accordance with provisions of the Sugar Act of 1764 (4 Geo. III cap. 15).  Makers or shippers or their agents, of rum, spirits, sugar, or molasses in British colonies or plantations, presented these documents attesting to the colonial origin of the goods to the collector or chief customs officers in the port where the goods were loaded, to prevent fraudulent importation of foreign goods elsewhere in the British domain, and evasion of taxes placed on them by the Sugar Act.  Series consists of exact copies of affidavits (printed forms completed in ms.) required to be transmitted to the colonial secretary by the customs officers within thirty days of ship sailing.
Notes: Most items in series presumed lost.  Those placed here were used as wrappers for: Returns from towns of supplies to families of Continental Army soldiers, 1777-1782 ((M-Ar)146X).  For additional affidavits see that series and: Massachusetts archives collection ((M- Ar)45X), v. 291, p. 102-109, 124-126
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Scope and Content: Pursuant to MGLA c 30, s 59, when state employees under indictment for misconduct in office are suspended, copies of suspension notices along with affidavits of service must be filed in the state secretary’s office.  Original notices are delivered to the employee or the employee’s attorney.  Files in this series contain a notarized affidavit by the supervisor certifying that notice of suspension was sent to suspended state employee.  Also included is a copy of the notice and of the letter reinstating the employee if found not guilty.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: Massachusetts had claims on lands west of the Hudson River based on provisions of the Plymouth Colony (1620) and Massachusetts Bay (1629) charters, while New York had competing claims based on provisions of the 1664 charter from King Charles II to his brother, James, Duke of York.  After American independence, Congress urged that boundary lines and land disputes between Massachusetts and New York be settled.  After preliminary legislative study and negotiation with New York, Massachusetts petitioned Congress to adjudicate the western lands conflict (Resolves 1784, May Sess, c 1 (May 27, 1784)).  (For the boundary dispute see: Massachusetts. Commissioners to Ascertain the Boundary Line between Massachusetts and New York. Files on the Massachusetts-New York boundary, 1784-1787 ((M-Ar)2359X)) –After further negotiation among Congress, Massachusetts, and New York, the original idea of a federally constituted court to settle the dispute was abandoned, and the commissioners acknowledged and authorized by Massachusetts to prosecute its claims (St 1784, c 60 (Mar. 14, 1785)) agreed to a conference with their New York counterparts in Hartford beginning Nov. 30, 1786 (Governor’s Message, Resolves 1786, Sept Sess, c 95, Nov. 14, 1786) –The conference resulted in an agreement of Dec. 16, 1786 (Resolves 1786, Jan Sess, c 21 (Feb. 13, 1787)); text published between c 61 and c 62).  By this agreement New York was awarded total sovereignty over the disputed area, with Massachusetts retaining right of preemption to purchase such lands from the Indians. This right of preemption was sold to various third parties in the years following the agreement, as the Massachusetts treasury was in a depleted state because of debts incurred from the Revolutionary War and Shays’ Rebellion.  (See: Massachusetts. Treasury Office. Accounts of payments on bonds for New York lands–Brown purchase, 1788-1804 ((M-Ar)2398X); Gorham/Phelps purchase, 1788-1813 ((M-Ar)2466X); Morris purchase, 1790-1797 ((M-Ar)2467X). For a much later legal action stemming from the agreement see: Massachusetts. Attorney General. Rochester, N.Y., land claim hearing files, 1787-1926 ((M-Ar)1519X))
Restrictions: (1-2) restricted; access by permission of state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
Notes: The Secretary of the Commonwealth is keeper of permanent public records of Massachusetts, including this series
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Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Public document, no. 46. –Reports for 1912-1913, 1920, 1941-1948, 1957-1958, 1960, 1962-1976, 1978 missing
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Scope and Content: St 1852, c 289 provided that justices of the peace in Massachusetts (those designated to try criminal cases called trial justices per St 1859, c 193) should provide returns with statistical and fiscal data for criminal cases tried, annually to the state secretary (police court justices  were likewise so required per St 1859, c 201), who was to make abstracts thereof for the General Court.  Per St 1881, c 66, such returns were to be made instead to the commissioners of prisons.  While this obligation continued, St 1905, c 321 mandated returns for civil cases to the state secretary by clerks of superior courts.  Criminal business was also included per St 1924, c 131.  St 1936, c 32 directed these returns instead to the Judicial Council.  Series includes returns/abstracts for part of the first and all of the second period when the state secretary received returns of criminal cases; for the latter, civil cases are included.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Returns  (2) Abstracts; __interfiled and arranged chronologically, thereunder by county/court
Notes: 1872 (Worcester County only, fragmentary), 1924, 1926-1935. — 1875-1880, 1924-1934. –Box 1: 1872-1880.  Box 2: 1924-1935
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Scope and Content: Per St 1843, c 75 and St 1850, c 31, county sheriffs of Massachusetts were required to make an annual return to the state secretary for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 of monies received from the county treasurer and all other sources, specifying amounts received for fees in civil and criminal process.  Also required in the return were number of days of attendance in each court, and before county commissioners.  Series consists of these returns as completed printed forms.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by year of return, thereunder alphabetically by county
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Scope and Content: The Massachusetts state secretary provided certificates of citizenship and passports for seamen and travelers. Although an act of Congress, Aug. 18, 1856, prohibited nonfederal officials from issuing passports, Massachusetts continued to authorize passports per St 1857, c 224, because federal law made no provision for citizens or seamen of color. When this exclusion was corrected after the Civil War, St 1869, c 365 repealed the issuing of state passports, at the request of the U.S. secretary of state and the Massachusetts attorney general. –Application certificates for passports were statements of identity signed by the applicant or sponsor, sworn before a notary or other public official, and filed with the state secretary.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Files for 1833, 1835-1848 lacking
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Scope and Content: The Massachusetts state secretary provided certificates of citizenship and passports for seamen and travelers. Although an act of Congress, Aug. 18, 1856, prohibited nonfederal officials from issuing passports, Massachusetts continued to authorize passports per St 185, c 224, because federal law made no provision for citizens or seamen of color. When this exclusion was corrected after the Civil War, St 1869, c 365 repealed the issuing of state passports, at the request of the U.S. secretary of state and the Massachusetts attorney general. These two application certificates “of colored going south” are certified statements of identity and citizenship regarding African-Americans traveling to the south of the United States.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: As part of its responsibility for the education and training of mentally retarded youth, the Commonwealth, pursuant to Resolves 1851, c 44, paid tuition costs for indigent families at the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded (known until 1883 as the Massachusetts  School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth.)  The school in turn was to admit, at no charge, thirty indigent children approved by the governor.  Applications filed by parents or guardians were forwarded to the governor for authorization upon recommendation by the secretary of the Board of Education.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 101
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