Congressional Papers & Publications

Black and white photo of the empty US Senate Chamber, circa 1873.

The West Campus storage facility holds congressional activity dating from the late-18th and early-19th centuries. These items (not all complied or printed by the government) illustrate the early days of the republic with accounts of congressional debates, votes, and activities.

This initial listing of the volumes represented in the West Campus collection is intended to answer the question of whether a trip to West Campus for a particular volume might be worthwhile.

Access these Materials

The West Campus Library Collection includes the majority of the System’s U.S. documents in print. The West Campus Library is currently closed to visitors.

Please contact Associate University Librarian Leland Deeds for information on the Government Publications Collections.

Contact

Department
Collections, Access, and Scholarly Communications
Name
Leland Deeds
Job Title
Associate University Librarian
Phone Number
(314) 935-5400

American Archives (1688-1787)

“American archives: consisting of a collection of authentick records, state papers, debates, and letters and other notices of publick affairs, the whole forming a documentary history of the origin and progress of the North American colonies; of the causes and accomplishment of the American Revolution; and of the Constitution of government for the United States, to the final ratification thereof. In six series…”

– from the title page of The American Archives by Peter Force

Compiled by Peter Force, The American Archives was designed to document the early history of the United States from the colonial settlements to the ratification of the Constitution, covering the years 1688-1787. But only nine volumes, focused on the years 1774-1776, were published in the forty years Force was collecting material. Of these nine volumes, the library owns but a few.

These texts are considered rare and are stored in the West Campus vault. Volumes cannot be checked out and must be used in the library reading area. Ask the circulation staff for specific volumes and/or years for review and they will be brought to the reading area.

Please note: this set is stored in 176-A-1.

  • Fourth Series (1774-1775), volumes 1, 4, & 6: “From the King’s Message of March 7th, 1774, to the Declaration of Independence, by the United States, in 1776.”
  • Fifth Series (1776), volumes 1, 2, & 3: “From the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, to the Definitive Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, in 1783.”

American State Papers (1789-1838)

Foreign Relations

  • Volume 1 (1789-1797)
  • Volume 2 (1797-1807)
  • Volume 3 (1807-1815)
  • Volume 4 (1815-1822)
  • Volume 5 (1818-1826)
  • Volume 6 (1826-1828)

Indian Affairs

  • Volume 1 (1789-1814) (a.k.a. Volume 7)
  • Volume 2 (1815-1827) (a.k.a. Volume 8)

Finance

  • Volume 1 (1789-1802) (a.k.a. Volume 9)
  • Volume 2 (1802-1815) (a.k.a. Volume 10)
  • Volume 3 (1815-1822) (a.k.a. Volume 11)
  • Volume 4 (1822-1824) (a.k.a. Volume 12)
  • Volume 5 (1824-1828) (a.k.a. Volume 13)

Commerce and Navigation

  • Volume 1 (1789-1815) (a.k.a. Volume 14)
  • Volume 2 (1815-1823) (a.k.a. Volume 15)

Military Affairs

  • Volume 1 (1789-1819) (a.k.a. Volume 16)
  • Volume 2 (1819-1825) (a.k.a. Volume 17)
  • Volume 3 (1823-1828) (a.k.a. Volume 18)
  • Volume 4 (1828-1832) (a.k.a. Volume 19)
  • Volume 5 (1832-1836) (a.k.a. Volume 20)
  • Volume 6 (1836-1837) (a.k.a. Volume 21)
  • Volume 7 (1837-1838) (a.k.a. Volume 22)

Naval Affairs

  • Volume 1 (1794-1825) (a.k.a. Volume 23)
  • Volume 2 (1824-1827) (a.k.a. Volume 24)
  • Volume 3 (1827-1831) (a.k.a. Volume 25)
  • Volume 4 (1831-1836) (a.k.a. Volume 26)

Post Office

  • Volume 1 (1790-1833) (a.k.a. Volume 27)

Public Lands

  • Volume 1 (1789-1809) (a.k.a. Volume 28)
  • Volume 2 (1809-1815) (a.k.a. Volume 29)
  • Volume 3 (1815-1824) (a.k.a. Volume 30)
  • Volume 4 (1823-1827) (a.k.a. Volume 31)
  • Volume 5 (1827-1829) (a.k.a. Volume 32)
  • Volume 6 (1829-1834) (a.k.a. Volume 33)
  • Volume 7 (1834-1835) (a.k.a. Volume 34)

Claims

  • Volume 1 (1789-1809) (a.k.a. Volume 36)

Miscellaneous

  • Volume 1 (1789-1809) (a.k.a. Volume 37)
  • Volume 2 (1809-1823) (a.k.a. Volume 38)

Annals of Congress (1789-1824)

The Annals of Congress, or, as the set is more formally known, The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, were compiled between 1834 and 1856 by the publishing company of Gales and Seaton. While the material collected came primarily from newspaper accounts and not primary sources from the congressional sessions, the set is considered more complete than either the House or Senate journals.

For more information, see the following link to the Library of Congress’ collection of documents and debates: A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875.

The Annals, which become Congressional Debates and then The Congressional Globe, are listed below separately by title, although there is overlap between each set. Not all volumes published are currently owned by the library and there are some gaps between congressional sessions and congressional years.

Fortunately, the Library of Congress has digitized most of the Annals, Debates, and Globe. These are available online at the following link: Library of Congress’ Debates of Congress.

Some duplicate volumes are available at University Libraries through the following link: University Libraries Catalog Results for Annals of Congress

These texts are considered rare and are stored in the West Campus vault. Volumes cannot be checked out and must be used in the library reading area. Ask the circulation staff for specific volumes and/or years for review and they will be brought to the reading area.

Please note: This set, along with all documents under the “Congressional Papers and Publications” heading, are stored in range 176.

  • 1st Congress, vol. 1 (1789-1791)
  • 1st Congress, vol. 2 (1789-1791)
  • 2nd Congress (1791-1793)
  • 3rd Congress (1793-1795)
  • 4th Congress, 1st session (1795-1796)
  • 4th Congress, 2nd session (1796-1797)
  • 5th Congress, vol.1 (1797-1799)
  • 5th Congress, vol. 2 (1797-1799)
  • 5th Congress, vol. 3 (1797-1799)
  • 6th Congress (1799-1801)
  • 7th Congress, 1st session (1801-1803)
  • 7th Congress, 2nd session (1802-1803)
  • 8th Congress, 1st session (1803-1804)
  • 8th Congress, 2nd session (1804-1805)
  • 9th Congress, 1st session (1805-1806)
  • 9th Congress, 2nd session (1806-1807)
  • 10th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1807-1808)
  • 10th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1807-1808)
  • 10th Congress, 2nd session (1808-1809)
  • 11th Congress, 1st-2nd sessions, vol. 1 (1809-1810)
  • 11th Congress, 1st-2nd sessions, vol. 2 (1810)
  • 11th Congress, 3rd session (1810-1811)
  • 12th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1811-1812)
  • 12th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1811-1812)
  • 12th Congress, 2nd session (1812-1813)
  • 13th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1813-1814)
  • 13th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1813-1814)
  • 13th Congress, 3rd session (1814-1815)
  • 14th Congress, 1st session (1815-1816)
  • 14th Congress, 2nd session (1816-1817)
  • 15th Congress, 1st session, vol.1 (1817-1818)
  • 15th Congress, 2nd session, vol. 1 (1818-1819)
  • 15th Congress, 2nd session, vol. 2 (1819)
  • 16th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1819-1820)
  • 16th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1819-1820)
  • 16th Congress, 2nd session (1820-1821)
  • 17th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1821-1822)
  • 17th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1822-1823)
  • 17th Congress, 2d session, (1823-1824)
  • 18th Congress, 1st session, vol. 1 (1823-1824)
  • 18th Congress, 1st session, vol. 2 (1824)
  • 18th Congress, 2nd session (1824-1825)

Register of Debates (1824-1837)

The Debates are a continuation of The Annals, concluding in 1837 with the title change to The Congressional Globe. Visit the Library of Congress and the digitized holdings of the Debates at the following link: Library of Congress Register of Debates Digitized Holdings

As with all West Campus holdings of Congressional records, this set is for library use only. Ask the desk librarian for the volumes and years you would like to see.

  • 18th Congress 2nd session (1824-1825
  • 19th Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1825-1826)
  • 19th Congress, 1st session, pt.1 (1825-1826)
  • 19th Congress, 2nd session (1826-1827)
  • 20th Congress, 1st session, pt. 1 (1827-1828)
  • 20th Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1828)
  • 20th Congress, 2d session (1828-1829)
  • 21st Congress, 1st session, pt. 1 (1829-1830)
  • 21st Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1830)
  • 21st Congress, 2nd session (1830-1831)
  • 22nd Congress, 1st session, pt. 1 (1831-1832)
  • 22nd Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1831-1832)
  • 22nd Congress, 1st session, pt. 3 (1832)
  • 22nd Congress, 2st session, pt. 1 (1832-1833)
  • 23rd Congress, 1st session, pt. 1 (1833-1834)
  • 23rd Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1834)
  • 23rd Congress, 1st session, pt. 3 (1834)
  • 23rd Congress, 1st session, pt. 4 (1834)
  • 23rd Congress, 2nd session, pt. 1 (1834-1835)
  • 23rd Congress, 2nd session, pt. 2 (1835)
  • 24th Congress, 1st session, pt. 2 (1836)
  • 24th Congress, 1st session, pt. 4 (1836)
  • 24th Congress, 1st session, pt.1 (1835-1836)
  • 24th Congress, 1st session, pt.3 (1836)
  • 24th Congress, 2nd session, pt. 1 (1836-1837)
  • 24th Congress, 2nd session, pt. 2 (1837)
  • 25th Congress, 1st session, pt. 1 (1837)
  • 25th Congress, 1st session, pt.2 (1837)

Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

As with all West Campus holdings of Congressional records, this set is for library use only. Ask the desk librarian for the volumes and years you would like to see.

Listed below are the volumes currently stored at West Campus itemized by congressional year/session and pagination (if applicable).

Unfortunately, we do not own every volume printed. Gaps are regrettable, but digital images of the text are available online at the Library of Congress through the following link: Library of Congress’ Congressional Globe Digitized Holdings

  • 23rd Congress, 1st-2nd sessions (1833-1835)–with appendix
  • 25th Congress, 1st session (1837)–with appendix
  • 26th Congress, 2nd session (1840-1841)–with appendix
  • 27th Congress, 1st session (1841)–with appendix
  • 27th Congress, 2nd session (1841-1842)–with appendix
  • 27th Congress, 3rd session (1842-1843)
  • 28th Congress, 1st session (1843-1844)–with appendix
  • 28th Congress, 2nd session (1844-1845)–with appendix
  • 29th Congress, 1st session (1845-1846)
  • 29th Congress, 2nd session (1846)
  • 30th Congress, 1st session (1847)–with appendix
  • 30th Congress, 2nd session (1848-1849)–with appendix
  • 32nd Congress, 1st session (1851-1852)
  • 32nd Congress, 1st session (1852) March-July **duplicate copy
  • 32nd Congress, 1st session (1852) July-August
  • 32nd Congress, 2nd session (1852-1853)
  • 33rd Congress, 1st session (1854) June 30th-Aug 7th
  • 34th Congress, 1st-2nd sessions (1855-1856), p.1217-2241
  • **vol. 25, pt 3. (part of a set, bound differently, included here) 1st-2nd session of 34th Congress, July 11-Aug 30th, contains about 2/3rds of the content found in previous entry
  • 35th Congress, 2nd session (1858-1859), p.1-1040
  • 35th Congress, 2nd session (1858-1859), p.1041-1692–with appendix
  • 37th Congress, 1st session (1861)–with appendix
  • 37th Congress, 2nd session (1861-1862), p.1-960
  • 37th Congress, 2nd session (1861-1862), p.961-1920
  • 37th Congress, 2nd session (1861-1862), p.1921-2880
  • 37th Congress, 2nd session (1861-1862), p.2881-3407–with appendix
  • 37th Congress, 3rd session (1862-1863), p.1-912
  • 37th Congress, 3rd session (1862-1863), p.913-1564–with appendix
  • 38th Congress, 1st session (1863-1864), p.1-976
  • 38th Congress, 1st session (1863-1864), p.977-1952
  • 38th Congress, 1st session (1863-1864), p.1953-2928
  • 38th Congress, 1st session (1863-1864), p.2929-3547–with appendix
  • 38th Congress, 2nd session (1864-1865), p.1-816
  • 38th Congress, 2nd session (1864-1865), p.817-1440–with appendix
  • 39th Congress, 1st session (1865-1866), p.1-960
  • 39th Congress, 1st session (1865-1866), p.961-1920
  • 39th Congress, 1st session (1865-1866), p.1921-2880
  • 39th Congress, 1st session (1865-1866), p.2881-3840
  • 39th Congress, 1st session (1865-1866), p.3841-4310–with appendix
  • 39th Congress, 2nd session (1866-1867), p.753-1504
  • 39th Congress, 2nd session (1866-1867), p.1505-2005–with appendix
  • 40th Congress, 1st session (1867)
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session (1867-1868), p.1-1024
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session (1867-1868), p.1025-2048
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session (1867-1868), p.2049-3072
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session (1867-1868), p.3073-4096
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session (1867-1868), p.4097-4523–with appendix
  • 40th Congress, 2nd session, Supplemental–Trial of Andrew Jackson
  • 40th Congress, 3rd session (1868-1869), p.1505-1901–with appendix
  • 41st Congress, 1st session (1869)
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), Appendix
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.1-944
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.945-1888
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.1889-2832
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.2833-3776
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.3777-4720
  • 41st Congress, 2nd session (1869-1870), p.4721-5664
  • 41st Congress, 3rd session (1870-1871), p.1-816
  • 41st Congress, 3rd session (1870-1871), p.817-1648
  • 41st Congress, 3rd session (1870-1871), p.1649-2010–with appendix
  • 42nd Congress, 1st session (1871), p.593-931–with appendix
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), Appendix
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), Index
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), p.1-896
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), p.897-1792
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), p.1793-2688
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), p.2689-3584
  • 42nd Congress, 2nd session (1871-1872), p.3585-4504
  • 42nd Congress, 3rd session (1872-1873), p.1-672
  • 42nd Congress, 3rd session (1872-1873), p.673-1632
  • 42nd Congress, 3rd session (1872-1873), p.1633-2211–with appendix

Journals of the American Congress (1774-1788)

Washinton University Libraries’ Catalog record search results for all items within the Washington University Libraries authored by the United States Continental Congress, 1774-1788 (author search for United States. Continental Congress, sorted by year).

House and Senate Journals (1790-1817)

  • 1st Congress, 2d session, Jan. 4, 1790
  • 1st Congress, 3d session, 1790-1791
  • 2d Congress, 1st session, 1792
  • 3d Congress, 1st session, 1793
  • 4th Congress, 1st session, 1795-1796
  • 4th Congress, 2d session, 1796
  • 5th Congress, 1st session
  • 5th Congress, 2d session, 1797-1798
  • 6th Congress, 1st session, 1799-1800
  • 6th Congress, 2d session, 1800-1801
  • 7th Congress, 1st session, 1801-1802
  • 8th Congress, 2d session, 1804-1805
  • 9th Congress, 2d session, 1806-1807
  • 11th Congress, 1st session, 1809
  • 11th Congress, 2d session
  • 13th Congress, 2d session, 1813-1814
  • 13th Congress, 2d session, 1813-1814 (executive reports)
  • 13th Congress, 2d session, 1813-1814 (documents)
  • 14th Congress, 1st session, 1815
  • 14th Congress, 2d session, 1816-1817
  • Continued by the United States Congressional Serial Set
  • 1st Congress, 2d session, 1790
  • 1st Congress, 3d session, 1790-1791
  • 2d Congress, 1st session, 1791-1792
  • 2d Congress, 2d session, 1792-1793
  • 3d Congress, 1st session
  • 3d Congress, 2d session
  • 4th Congress, 1st session
  • 4th Congress, 2d session
  • 5th Congress, 2d session,
  • 14th Congress, 1st session, 1815
  • 14th Congress, 1st session, 1815 (Secretary of the Navy)
  • 14th Congress, 2d session, 1816-1817
  • 14th Congress, 2d session, 1816-1817 (Secretary of the Navy)
  • Continued by the United States Congressional Serial Set