The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 216

                                
Southwestern Historical Quarterly

of contents, no index, no explanation of several important gaps.
Selection and chronological arrangement describe the work of
Miss Fisk.
J. L. L. WALLER.
College of Mines.
The Territorial Papers of the United States: Volume IX, The
Territory of Orleans, 1803-1812. Compiled and edited
by Clarence Edwin Carter.
Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1940.
Pp. ix, 1092. $2.50.
Volume nine of The Territorial Papers of the United States,
a series being published by the Department of State, contains
a large portion of the official documents relating to the Province
of Louisiana and the Territory of Orleans, 1803-1812. These
papers are selected chiefly from the archives of the executive
departments of the national government and other Federal
archives in Washington, D. C. Headnotes to each document
designate its particular depository. With a few unimportant
exceptions, the papers are printed in chronological order. The
editor of the volume makes no claim to a comprehensive pub-
lication of the official records of the Territory of Orleans,
since the general plan of the series is to omit certain categories
of documents and papers already published; yet his judicious
selection of material presents a concise, authentic history of
the Territory.
The body of the volume consists of the correspondence be-
tween the officials of the Department of State and the political
officials of the Territory of Orleans. Since this Department
directed the civil administration of the Territory, the letters
of the Secretary of State give instructions for the operation
of the territorial government, interpret the laws governing
the Territory, and make recommendations concerning appoint-
ments and internal policies. The letters of the governor and
other territorial officials describe the organization of the local
executive and legislative branches, portray the confusion re-
sulting from the introduction of the common law among people
familiar only with the civil law, and show the censorious atti-
tude of the inhabitants toward their new government. Many
letters of Presidents Jefferson and Madison from the Manu-

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