From:
Stanley I. Evans
Oakland, CA 94601
Stan@StanleyEvans.com
Date: November 1, 2025
To:
The Honorable Stephanie Thomas
Secretary of the State of Connecticut
165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000
Hartford, CT 06115
The Honorable Allen Ramsey
State Archivist
231 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
The Honorable Deborah Schander
State Librarian
231 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Subject: Freedom of Information Request — Executive, Council, and Financial Records Concerning Legislative Transcription Activities (1813–1814) and the Titles of Nobility Amendment
Dear Secretary Thomas, Archivist Ramsey, and Librarian Schander,
Pursuant to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 1-200 et seq.), I respectfully request access to, and copies of, any and all records held by your offices concerning the authentication, custody, transmission, or transcription of legislative acts relating to the Titles of Nobility and Honor Amendment during the period May 1813 through December 1814.
Because I already hold certified copies of the 1813 House Journal and Committee Report, this request is limited to related executive, archival, and financial documentation that could clarify the provenance, handling, or re-copying of those instruments.
1. Governor and Council Records (Executive Proceedings)
Please provide any minutes, votes, correspondence, or entries from the Governor and Council (also known as the “Governor and Company” or “Council of Assistants”) between May 1 – June 30, 1813, and July 1 – September 30, 1814, which:
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Refer to the Titles of Nobility Amendment or any “amendment to the Constitution of the United States”;
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Record approval, direction, or transmission of legislative acts by Governor John Cotton Smith;
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Include warrants, orders, or certificates to the Secretary of the State or U.S. Secretary of State; or
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Mention the copying, engrossing, or recopying of legislative records.
Relevant series may include Executive Journals, Warrants on the Treasurer, or Council Proceedings within Record Group 005: Records of the Governor.
2. Executive Correspondence and Dockets
Please provide any correspondence, memoranda, or docket entries maintained by the Governor’s Office or the Secretary of the State between May 1813 – December 1814 that relate to:
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Certification or forwarding of Connecticut’s legislative action on the Titles of Nobility Amendment;
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Hiring, assigning, or directing clerks to copy, transcribe, or prepare official legislative documents; or
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Communication with the U.S. Department of State or any federal official regarding amendment ratifications.
3. Archival Provenance and Description Records
Please provide any accession logs, catalog descriptions, conservation reports, or internal memoranda describing the custody history, rebinding, transcription, or later alteration of the 1813 General Assembly manuscripts.
Include any notations or authenticity assessments referencing the handwriting or attesting signatures of Charles Denison or Theodore Dwight.
Relevant holdings may appear within Record Group 002: General Assembly or Record Group 030: Secretary of the State.
4. Financial and Payroll Records (July – December 1814)
Please provide copies of any appropriation ledgers, pay orders, treasury warrants, or expense vouchers issued between July 1 and September 30, 1814, that document payments to clerks, copyists, or assistants for copying, transcribing, or rebinding legislative journals or committee reports.
Relevant sources may include:
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Record Group 041: State Treasurer – Pay Orders, Treasurer’s Accounts, and Abstracts of Warrants Paid;
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Record Group 005: Records of the Governor – Warrants and Council Proceedings;
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Record Group 030: Secretary of the State – Expense and Voucher Files;
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Record Group 002: General Assembly – Pay Rolls and Accounts of the Clerk of the House; and
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Record Group 046: Auditor’s or Comptroller’s Ledger Books.
Please also include any Committee on Accounts or Claims reports (May and October 1814 sessions) recommending payment for “extra services of clerks,” “copying journals,” “transcribing public acts,” or similar work.
Format and Costs
I request that all responsive records be provided in electronic format (PDF scans) if possible.
If any portion of the request is denied, please cite the specific statutory exemption relied upon and describe how it applies.
I am willing to pay reasonable duplication costs; however, please notify me if estimated charges exceed $50.
Purpose
This request is made for scholarly historical research into Connecticut’s official actions under Article V of the U.S. Constitution and the provenance of the 1813–1814 legislative records.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I respectfully request acknowledgment of this request within the statutory period required under the Connecticut FOI Act.
Pursuant to the E-SIGN Act and the Connecticut UETA, this email and the name typed below constitute my official and legally binding signature.
Sincerely,
Stanley I. Evans
Oakland, CA 94601
