Report Made to the Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary of State of the United States: on the Subject of the Documentary History of the United States, Now Publishing Under an Act of Congress

Report Made To The Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary Of State Of The United States: On The Subject Of The Documentary History Of The United States, Now Publishing Under An Act Of Congress by Matthew St. Clair Clarke. This document documents Clarke and Peter Force’s efforts in response to a congressional Act and a secretary’s request to compile a comprehensive Documentary History of the American Revolution. The text outlines the historical project, the memorials and pleas submitted to Congress, and the contractual framework for publishing the work, including roles for Edward Livingston as Secretary of State and the terms of payment for fifteen hundred copies. It includes Clarke and Force’s explanations of the materials to be collected, the planned structure across periods from colonial times through the early Federal era, and the anticipated scope, cost, and timeline. The material also quotes letters from key figures (Livingston, Adams, Rush, and others) demonstrating official support and the political importance of preserving primary documents. It is a historical-administrative document describing the genesis and progress of a national documentary project.