New York State Governor Journals of Governors' Actions and Decisions

Chronological by date of action or decision.

These volumes provide a chronological record tracking actions taken and decisions made by the governor. The records were kept pursuant to Laws of 1858, Chapter 64, which required the governor to record in books all applications made to him for appointments, pardons, commutations of sentences, or other gubernatorial actions, and to keep on file the original documentation relating to each application. Each volume covers one calendar year and begins with a statement indicating that the governor was sworn in to office (when applicable), followed by a transcription of the governor's annual message to the legislature.

The volumes then list other actions and decisions of the governor as they occurred, including: appointments and nominations of civil, judicial, and military officers; names of applicants for appointments, pardons, communtations of sentences, or restoration of citizenship rights; resignations accepted by the governor; messages (transcribed or abstracted) to the Senate or Assembly, often sent as transmittal messages accompanying reports to the legislature (reports not included in these volumes); grants or refusals of extradition requests ("requisitions") from governors of other states; titles or introductory numbers of legislative bills received, signed, or vetoed, often accompanied (for vetoes) by transcriptions of the governor's veto message to the legislature; and expenditures approved.

Entries in volumes covering 1859-1906 are handwritten. Beginning in 1907, entries are typewritten.

A0599Series A0599, Extradition Requisition and Mandate Registers and Blotters

A0608Series A0608, Blotters of Governors' Actions and Decisions and

A0622Series A0622, Ledgers of Governors' Actions and Decisions, contain related records which are often referenced in relation to requisitions and mandates.

Series A0625, Index to Notary Appointments and Ledger of Applications for Office, partially indexes this series.

Volume list is available at the repository.

Volume 45 was reintegrated with this series after previously having been misfiled as Volume 1 (mislabeled as Volume 3) of series A0625 (old collection #625).

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.