Early U.S. Government Publications
There is a great deal of informaiton to be found in early U.S. government publications. Many of these older U.S. documents are NOT in VIRGO. The researcher wishing information from U.S. government agencies prior to 1976 must consult sources other than VIRGO. Remember to consult the Government Information staff for help in finding older documents. Though what follows in not a complete list of pre-1900 U.S. sources it is intended to give an idea of the walth of sources available.
Indexes || Specific Titles or Types of Publications
Checklist of United States Public Documents, 1789-1909 -- GP 3.2:C 41/2 - Behind 3rd Floor Service Desk, GIR Reading Room
The 1909 Checklist lists, by SuDoc number, many documents published from 1789 to 1909. The Checklist lists Serial Set volume numbers in brackets - [2345].
The Law Library owns CIS Index to U.S. Executive Branch Documents, 1789-1909 : Guide to Documents listed in Checklist of U.S. Public Documents, 1789-1909, not printed in the U.S. Serial Set (Z7164 .A2 C53 1990 ) which is a subject index to the 1909 Checklist.
Cumulative Title Index to United States Public Documents -- GIR Reading Room, Behind 3rd Floor Service Desk
Covers 1789 to 1976. Lists documents by title and gives SuDoc number.
Public Documents Masterfile 1774-
Lists documents from US federal and some state and local agencies from the beginnings of the US to the present. This is a work in process, both historical and current citations are added regularly. Some entries give the SuDocs (Government Document) call number, some give only Monthly Catalog year and page numbers. Consult Government Information Resources in Alderman for access to the items themselves.
LexisNexis Congressional Historical Indexes
This is one of the best resources for finding older materials. It indexes congressional hearings, prints, and the Serial Set from 1789 to 1969. The 19th century and early 20th century volumes of the Serial Set contain many executive agency publications, such as annual reports. UVA owns many of these materials in paper and in the LexisNexis microfiche collection. See the guide on congressional materials owned by Alderman and the Law Library for more information.
American State Papers - Z
3rd floor, New Stacks
LexisNexis/CIS microfiche collection
This is the earliest collection of Congressional and, especially, presidential materials. It is the precursor of the Serial Set and is indexed in LexisNexis Congressional Historical Indexes. The American State Papers are arranged in Series - Foreign Relations - v. 1-6
Indian Affairs - v.7-8
Finance - v.9-13
Commerce and Navigation - v.14-15
Military Affairs - v.16-22
Naval Affairs - v.23-26
Post Office - v.27
Public Lands - v.28-35
Claims - v.36
Miscellaneous - v.37-38
Eventually the entire American State Papers set will be available in full text in the LexisNexis Historical Full Text database (UVA only).
Bills - Microfilm Cabinets, 3rd Floor, East Wing
GIR owns microfilm of bills from the first 14 Congresses
The Library of Congress American Memory Century of American Lawmaking includes some early bills.
House of Representatives - 6th-42nd congress, selected bills only
Senate - 16th-42nd congress, selected bills only
Census Materials - C 3.1790-C 3.1890- U.S. Documents Stacks (3New) & 3rd Floor, East Wing - Microfilms
Early censuses covered population, manufactures, farming. GIR also has the Virginia name rolls from 1790-1930, as well as very selected name rolls from other states. See the Guide to Census Name Rolls for further information.
Congressional Record -- X -- 1874 to present, 3rd Floor, New Stacks
Congressional Globe -- 1833-1873
Register of Debates -- 1824-1837
Annals of Congress -- 1789-1824
Also available in the LC American Memory web site
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings of the House of Representative snad the Senate. It does not include any committee deliberations or hearings, where the bulk of the business of Congress is done. There are annual indexes filed with the titles under X in the New Stacks.
Foreign Relations of the United States -- S 1.1: - 3rd Floor, New Stacks
Selected volumes of FRUS have been digitized by the University of Wisconsin.
FRUS began in 1861 and consists of sensitive correspondence, other documents of the State Department, and other materials affecting the foreign relations of the U.S. Materials are not released for publication until 25 years after they were originally produced. Prior to 1861 similar materials were printed in the Annual Report of the Secretary of State which can be found in the Serial Set, and indexed in LexisNexis Congressional Historical Indexes. The State Department is beginning to digitize FRUS and put the texts online. However, they haven't done any of the early volumes yet.
Historical Statistics of the United States -- Alderman Ready Reference, 4th Floor
This two volume set contains statistics from colonial times to 1970. The statistics are from a variety of sources, not just the U.S. government. Notes on the tables give the source and may lead to further information.
The LC American Memory project has many presidential papers availalbe, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. These vary considerably in scope and coverage.
Serial Set
1818 - 1924 - Ivy Stacks & LexisNexis Microfiche
1924 - 1984 - 3rd floor, New Stacks -- Back Wall and East Side Wall
1970 - present -- Y 1.2/2: -- Law Library
1985 - present -- Y 1.2/2: -- New Stacks
American Memory Century of American Lawmaking -- selected volumes
LexisNexis Congressional full text -- NOT complete -- by 2006 all of the Serial Set should be available in full text here.
The Serial Set contains all Congressional reports and documents. During the 19th century it often contained departmental reports, reports on explorations, and much other materials. Indexed in LexisNexis Congressional Historical Indexes.
Statutes at Large -- AE 2.111: (earlier S 7.9: and GS 4.111:) -- GIR Reading Room, West Wall
American Memory Century of American Lawmaking contains the Statutes at Large from 1789-1875.
Compilation of laws passed by Congress during each session. There are two cumulative indexes, one from 1789- 1873, and one from 1873-1907. It is only indexed annually after 1907. the Statutes at Large was published by private publishers until 1873. There were three different private editions, each of which is slightly different from the others. Check in the microfiche editions (S 7.9) or in Century of American Lawmaking if the citation you have isn't available in paper.
Statutes at Large citations are to volume number and page number, for example, "102 Stat 343."
Sometimes citations appear as "Act of January 2, 1800, ch. 3", sometimes "Act of January 2, 1800, ch. 3, 2 Stat. 4."
United States Reports -- JU 6.8: - 3rd floor, New Stacks
LexisNexis Academic - Legal Research (UVA Only) -- index and full text of all Supreme Court opinions
These are the opinions of the Supreme Court. Older editions may be referred to as Dallas, Cranch, Wheaton, peters, Howard, Black or Wallace (early compilers). Citations to the US Reports look like 345 US 567. The first number is the volume number, the second is the page.
Z call numbers - 3rd floor, New Stacks
American Memory Century of American Lawmaking
All materials from the Revolutionary period and the first 14 Congresses (1o 1817) are classed as "Z" SuDoc numbers. This includes such materials as the debates of the Constitutional Convention and the Journals of the Continental Congress.