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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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 Saint Paul, Minn. 
 
 We take this method of informing our friends and correspondents of the designs , 
 present condition and wants of the Minnesota Historical Society : 
 
 Objects and Organization.— The Society was organized in 1849, by a few of the 
 
 pioneers of the Territory, and incorporated by an act of the first Ter rite rial Legislature, 
 approved October 20, 1849, thus being the first literary institution organized in the Terri- 
 tory; and its "library," then only a few volumes, was the first ever established in Min- 
 nesota. The original charter of the Society stated its objects to be: "the collection 
 and preservation of a library, mineralogical and geological specimens, Indian curiosi- 
 ties and other matters and things connected with, and calculated to illustrate and per- 
 petuate the history and settlement of said Territory." The amended charter of 1856 
 enacted: "The objects of said Society, with the enlarged powers and duties herein pro- 
 vided, shall be in addition to the collection and preservation of publications, manu- 
 scripts, antiquities, curiosities and other things pertaining to the Social, Political and 
 Natural History of Minnesota, to cultivate among the citizens thereof, a knowledge of 
 the useful and liberal Arts, Science and Literature." 
 
 The work of this Society may therefore be formulated thus : 
 
 I. (1) The Collection, (2) the Preservation, and (3) the i ublication of materials 
 for the history of Minnesota and its people. 
 
 II. The collection and management of a library containing useful works of refer- 
 ence on the most valuable departments of knowledge. 
 
 III. The diffusion among the citizens of the State, of useful knowledge. 
 
 Its Progress.— In the early days of the Territory, owing to its want of means, 
 the sparse population and its poverty, and the infancy of the commonwealth generally, 
 the Society accomplished but little beyond collecting some information regarding the 
 early history of this region and printing the same in several pamphlet volumes. In 1864 
 it had only 840 volumes in its Library. It was then reorganized, and with the aid of a 
 small annual appropriation from the State, since enlarged, has been able to make very 
 gratifying progress. 
 
 It«* Present Condition.— Ithas now comfortable apartments inthe State Cap- 
 itol, a building believed to be fire proof: a sufficient income to pay its current expenses, 
 granted partly by the State and partly contributed by its members ; the largest and 
 most valuable library in the State, containing many thousand volumes of choice works; 
 together with a cabinet, or museum of historical and archseological curiosities, and a 
 large number of historical pictures, engravings, manuscripts, etc. An endowment 
 fund of several thousand dollars, accumulated by gifts and membership fees, and two 
 lots, eligibly situated, on which we hope, at no distant day, to erect a fire proof build- 
 ing for our use. 
 
 The Library now contains over 00,000 volumes, bound and unbound, and i6 in- 
 creasing rapidly. The works are all useful and appropriate in such a collection, most 
 of them being choice and valuable, and many very rare and costly. On Minnesota it 
 
 
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 contains almost every known work bearing directly or indirectly on that subject, and 
 our design is to make it complete. On the history of the Northwest, and of the West 
 generally, it is quite complete, embracing many, or most of the voyages and explora- 
 tions of the early French explorers and missionaries in "Nouvelle France," or "Louisi- 
 ana " and the Relations of the Jesuit fathers, with the curious and crude maps of this 
 then almost unknown land. Many of these works are now excessively rare and 
 difficult to procure, and have been collected only by years of vigilant search among the 
 book-dealers in America and Europe. On general American history, in all its periods, 
 our collection offers over 3,000 volumes, (although probably ninety per cent, of our li- 
 brary relates to America). In the documentary works. State papers and archival pub- 
 lications of the general government, and of the various older states, our collection is 
 very full. We have the Congressional Documents complete, for nearly half a century 
 back. All the annals of Congress, Gales & Seaton's debates, Niles Register, the Con- 
 gressional (ilobe and Record, and other works of this class, offering rich treasures of 
 material to the student of our national history, and questions relating to it, while we 
 have also several thousand pamphlets on American politics and national questions, of 
 every period and issue, essays, speeches, treatises, etc., throwing light on every step of 
 our country's career. On the Revolutionary Period we have an unusually fine collec- 
 tion; while on the truly historic slavery struggle which agitated the American nation 
 so long, and of the Rebellion in which it culminated, we have several thousand works. 
 We have also most of the publications of the historical and other learned societies of 
 America and some in Europe. In American genealogy, one of our specialties, our li- 
 brary is notably rich, containing over^W volumes of separate family histories, besides 
 many collective works and about 2,000 volumes on biography, mostly American. In 
 statistical and geographical works, books relating to our Indian tribes, and to eth- 
 nology and archaeology generally, in bibliography, periodicals, travels and voyages in 
 America, and in general literature, it is unusually strong, as well as in social science, 
 political economy, English history, etc., and other departments. It is also the deposi- 
 tory ( and th e only o a o ia - tho Sta t p ) of the publications of the U. S. Patent Office. We 
 have also several hundred atlases and maps, many of them very rare. The whole li- 
 brary has been thoroughly catalogued on the "card" plan, by an expert of the highest 
 skill and its catalogue has been printed in two volumes. It is open from 8 A. M. to 6 P. 
 M. daily, in charge of experienced librarians. Its use is entirely free to all, without 
 any restrictions, except that the books are for reference only, and are not loaned. The 
 library is valued, if any definite value can be placed on such property, at $VU>00. f <j a 
 
 innesota Newspapers.— One of the speciaH ies of the Society is the collection 
 and "preservation f the newspapers of the State. We have, through our efforts in this 
 respect for over thirty years, accumulated a very complete collection of nearly $000 
 bound volumes, reaching back to the first issue of the "Minnesota Pioneer," April 26, 
 1849. Ofthe greatest part of these journals, which we have preserved thus, we have the 
 only files in existence, and they are being constantly referred to by persons from all 
 parts of the State, in pursuit of dates, facts, etc., to be found only in such a shape. 
 They form a repository of the materials for the history of the State, and of its people, 
 of priceless value a value which will enhance as years roll on. They are kept in a fire 
 proof room. Newspaper publishers are urged to send their papers to us regularly by 
 mail, to be preserved in our collection. We ought to have, and preserve, every issue of 
 every journal in the State. In addition to our Minnesota newspapers, we have sets of 
 those published in Chicago, New York, Boston and London (the latter commencing 
 with the year 1665) and many other cities. 
 
 Museum.— At the time of the fire which destroyed the State capitol, March 1, 1881, 
 and which did considerable injury to our library, we lost nearly all the interesting and 
 Taluable cabinet of historical and archEeological curiosities which we had at that time, 
 most of it relating to the Indian tribes of this State. We have since accumulated a 
 Jiew collection, to which we invite contributions from those who have such relics or 
 curiosities. (See No. 7 in "Donations Especially Desired," below.) 
 
 Publications.— The Society has publishecHfcBa volumes of its historical collec- /te-v-tAv/ 
 tions. They are handsomely printed octavo volumes, of 400 to 500 pages each, the whole 
 forming a valuable collection of works relating to the history of the State, which should 
 
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oein the library of every citizen who is a book collector. The set is sold, either bound 
 or unbound, at $10.00 (cost price) or $2 50 for single volumes. Those who desire them 
 uncut, so as to place in handsome bindings, can secure sets in this condition: we will 
 also exchange them for good books not already in our library. A descriptive circular 
 also will be sent to any one wishing further information regarding them. The Society 
 prints a biennial report to the Legislature, which will be sent to any one requesting a 
 copy. 
 
 Endowment Fund.— This fund, referred to in a preceding paragraph, has been 
 raised by the sale of life memberships, at $25 each, and by donations. It now amounts 
 to several thousand dollars. Its object is to create a Fund, the interest of which only 
 shall be used in the purchase and binding of books. Additions to it are solicited, either 
 by the purchase of memberships, by gift, or by bequest. Any citizen of the State .is en 
 titled to become an active member, on application to the Secretary. 
 
 Proposed Building for the Society.— Reference was made, ante, to the 
 building lotsof the Society. These were purchased by a subscription of the members in 
 1855, for the sum of $1,500, in hopes that the Society would be enabled to erect thereon a 
 fire proof building for its use, but up to this time it has not been able to do so. The lots 
 are now valued at $50,000 or more. An effort has been made recently to secure a Legisla- 
 tive appropriation sufficient to erect the long projected building, but the finances of the 
 State do not yet permit of such an outlay. We are in hopes of soon securing it, how- 
 ever, or if not, of receiving gifts of money from those interested in our objects, suf- 
 ficient to do so. 
 
 Present Resonrees of the Society.— From the foregoing statement it will 
 be seen that the Society has no certain resources, except the amount appropriated to it 
 by'the State. While this income enables it to pay its current expenses, and also expend 
 more or less each year in the purchase and binding of books, and in publishing its col- 
 lections, it can increase its library but slowly, considering the constantly increasing 
 demands on us for rare and costly classes of works which we do not now have, and can- 
 not easily procure, out of our small income. Our funds for purchasing should be 
 doubled or trebled without delay, in order to enable us to keep pace with the increasing 
 calls on us, growing out of the rapidly enlarging population of the State. As the State 
 cannot increase its present allowance, we must look to private beneficence for an en- 
 largement of our income. 
 
 We are therefore prompted to appeal for aid to the citizens of our State, who should 
 feel a pride in the siiccess of an institution manifestly so useful and creditable to them 
 —as well as to the generous patrons of public libraries and other public institutions, 
 and to the friends of learning and historical research everywhere, for contributions to 
 our Library, or such other aid as they may prefer to extend. 
 
 Donations Especially Desired. — Booksand pamphlets on American Histo- 
 ry, Biography and Genealogy, particularly those relating to'the West ; Works on our In- 
 dian Tribes, and American Archaeology and Ethnology; Statistical and Scientific Publi- 
 cations of States or Societies; Books or Pamphlets relating to the Great Rebellion; pri- 
 vately printed works ; Newspapers ; Maps and Charts ; Engravings ; Autographs ; 
 Coins ; Antiquities ; and Encyclopedias, Dictionaries and Bibliographical works of 
 every kind. Entire sets of works are especially solicited, or collections of books on 
 any subject, but single volumes, or pamphlets even will be gratefully received. Es- 
 pecially do we desire 
 
 Everything Relating to our own State, viz : 
 
 1. Travels and Explorations; City Directories; Copies of the earlier Laws and 
 
 Journals of our Legislature; Ordinances of Cities ; and, in short, every book, on 
 any subject, printed in the State, or elsewhere, relating to it. 
 
 2. Pamphlets of all kinds ; Catalogues of Minnesota Colleges and other institutions 
 
 of Learning ; Annual Reports of Societies ; Sermons and Addresses delivered 
 in this State; Minutes of Church Conventions, Synods, or other Ecclesiastical 
 Bodies of Minnesota; Political Addresses; Railroad and Board of Trade Reports, 
 and every other Pamphlet relating to this State. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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 3. Files of Minnesota Newspapers and Magazines, especially complete volumes of 
 
 past years, or single numbers even. Publishers are earnestly requested to con- 
 tribute their publications regularly, all of which will be carefully preserved 
 and bound. 
 
 4. Materials for Minnesota History; Old Letters, Journals, axd manuscript Narra- 
 
 tives of the Pioneers of Minnesota; Original Papers on the Early History and 
 Settlement of the Territory; Adventures and Conflicts during the Indian War 
 or the late Rebellion; Biographies of the Pioneers of every County, either living 
 or deceased, together with their Portraits and Autographs; a sketch of the set- 
 tlement of every town and village in the htate, with names of the first settlers. 
 We solicit articles on every subject connected with Minnesota history. 
 
 5. Maps of Town Sites or Counties, of any date; Views and Engravings of buildings 
 
 or historic places; Drawings or Photographs of Scenery; I'aintirgs; Portraits, 
 etc., connected with Minnesota history. 
 
 6. Curiosities of all kinds for our Museum ; Coins ; Medals ; Paintings ; Portraits; 
 
 Engravings; Statues; War Relics; Autogiaphs; Letters of distinguished per- 
 sons, etc. 
 
 7. Facts illustrative of our Indian Tribes ; their History, Characteristics, Religion, 
 
 etc.; Sketches of their prominent Chiefs, Orators and Warriors, together with 
 contributions of Indian Weapons, Costumes, Ornaments, Curiosities and Im- 
 plements. Also, Stone Axes, Spears, Arrow-Heads, Pottery, or other relics of 
 pre-historic races. 
 In brief, everything that, by the most liberal construction, can illustrate the His- 
 tory of Minnesota or its people ; its early settlement ; its progress, or present condi- 
 tion, which will be of value or interest to succeeding generations. All works presented 
 to our Library will be acknowledged in our biennial reports, and will be carefully pre- 
 served for the use of the public of the State. 
 
 We hope that a generous and prompt response will be made by those receiving this 
 circular. Communications or Donations mny be addressed to the Secretary of the So- 
 ciety, St. Paul. All persons sending us gifts will be placed on our exchange list and 
 receive the publications of the Society in return. 
 
 Officers of the Society. 
 
 (I nn. Hen r y IT. Aihln y t P rpwidgpt : Hon. Alex. Ramsey, Ph u t Vin e-President ; Capt. 
 RusselUBlakeley^Seeesd Vice-President ; Henry P. TJpham, Treasurer; J. Fletcher 
 I . — ^Williams, Secretary and Librarian. 
 
 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. 
 4-22-89. 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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 Conservation Resources 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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