State Department Central Files (RG 59), 1783-1906

Records

During the period from 1789 to 1906, the records are divided into three main categories: Diplomatic Correspondence, Consular Correspondence, and Miscellaneous Correspondence. Each category is further divided into a number of series, or types, of records in which the documents are generally arranged by source or destination and thereunder chronologically by date sent.

The following are descriptions of the more important series of records. Information on additional records in the Central Files for the 1789-1906 period is found in Part I of Inventory 15: Inventory of the General Records of the Department of State.

NOTE: Almost all central file records from this period are available on various National Archives microfilm publications.  As noted below, many of those publications are now available online through the National Archives Catalog.  Some are accessible through partner sites. 

Diplomatic Correspondence

The Diplomatic Correspondence is arranged by country in four primary series of records:

• Instructions to U.S. Ministers and Ambassadors, 1785-1906:
  
  Copies of the instructions sent by the Department of State to its diplomatic representatives in foreign countries.  These documents relate to all phases of U.S. relations with foreign governments as well as the general administration of diplomatic posts.  Topics include negotiation of treaties; political and economic issues between the U.S. and the host country; boundary matters; claims matters; fishing rights; trade and trade relations; protections of U.S. citizens abroad and foreigners in the U.S.; international conferences, commissions, and expositions; extraditions of fugitives; and the internal political, economic, and social conditions of the host country.  The instructions also cover administrative matters such as appointments; arrival and departures; and official expenses.

  
  The arrangement of the records changed over time.  The documents for the period from 1785 to 1833 are arranged in a straight chronological run without regard to country.  The remaining records, covering the period 1829 to 1906, are arranged alphabetically by country and thereunder chronologically.  For the years 1785‑1801 this series also contains some instructions to consular officers as well as some documents of the type generally found in the "Domestic Letters" and the "Notes from the Department to Foreign Legations and Embassies" (see below).

  Embedded in this series are the Instructions to Special Agents (see below).

  Online, you will find more information and links to the digitized resources.  

• Despatches [reports] received from U.S. Ministers and Ambassadors, 1789-1906:

  
  These records consist of the despatches (reports), with related enclosures, sent to the Department of State by American diplomats overseas.  They are arranged by name of country and thereunder chronologically, except in cases where a U.S. diplomatic officer was accredited to more than one government, in which case the despatches from several countries are bound together.
  
  The despatches relate to all phases of U.S. diplomatic relations with foreign countries and to the administration of U.S. legations and embassies.  Subjects include negotiation of treaties; political and economic issues between the U.S. and the host country; boundary matters; fishing rights; trade and trade relations; international conferences; and the internal political situation of the host country.  The despatches also cover administrative matters such as appointments; arrival and departures; and official expenses.  Among the related enclosures are newspaper clippings, copies of notes to and from the countries' foreign offices, copies of death notices and marriage certificates, publications, and ceremonial letters.  Online, you will find more information and links to the images.  You will also find a list by country with links to the images.

• Notes from the Department to Foreign Legations and Embassies in Washington, 1793-1906:
  
  The records consist of copies of communications sent by the Department of State to foreign legations and embassies in the United States.  These are the corollary to the NOTES TO THE DEPARTMENT FROM FOREIGN LEGATIONS AND EMBASSIES IN WASHINGTON, and like them, they relate to all aspects of U.S. diplomatic relations with foreign countries.  The records are arranged as follows:

  ●1793-1810 – by country and thereunder chronologically
  ●1810-1834 – chronologically
  ●1834-1906 – alphabetically by country and thereunder chronologically
  
  The notes for the 1793-1810 period include notes to foreign consuls.  Not all notes to foreign legations are found in this series.  Some notes before 1804 are found in the DIPLOMATIC INSTRUCTIONS or the DOMESTIC LETTERS.  Online you will find more information with links to the images.

• Notes to the Department from Foreign Legations and Embassies in Washington, 1789-1906:
  
  Original communications and related enclosures received by the Department of State from foreign legations and embassies in the United States.  They relate to all phases of U.S. diplomatic relations with those countries.  Enclosures include printed material and ceremonial letters from heads of foreign states.  Online you will find more information with links to the images as well as a list of the missions by country, with links to the images.
  
  Separate from but similar to these records are the MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM OTHER STATES, 1817-1906.   These records consists of notes from states, territories, or regimes that did not have recognized diplomatic representation in the United States.  Online you will find more information with a link to the images as well as a list of the states and links to the images  

Special Agents

The President and the Secretary of State sent special representatives to many parts of the world on numerous different tasks and appointed special commissions to undertake specific duties for the Department.  Those representatives were known as “Special Agents.”  During the early years of U.S. history, naval officers entering the ports of countries with which the United States had no formal relations were sometimes given special diplomatic missions in addition to their regular duties.  The assignments of these special agents, missions, and commissions have included negotiating and ratifying treaties, collecting information, delivering ceremonial letters, procuring copies of archives of foreign governments, taking testimony in foreign countries, mediating in wars or international disputes, inspecting U.S. consular offices, investigating the slave trade, negotiating land leases, observing and reporting political conditions and public opinion, investigating charges against U.S. consuls, and bearing despatches.

• Instructions, 1823-1906:
  
  Arranged chronologically and indexed alphabetically by name of agent or commission.  The records consist of copies of the Department of State’s instructions to its agents on special missions, together with some copies of related annexes or  enclosures, regarding the duties, salary, and allowances of the commissioners; treaty provisions; and other matters.  These records are  available online.  Online, you will find more information and links to the digitized resources. 
     
• Despatches [reports], 1794 1906:
  
  This series consists of the despatches special agents sent to the Department of State reporting on their assignments, presenting their accounts, and enclosing copies of pertinent documents and exhibits.  The records are arranged in rough chronological order by date of mission and thereunder chronologically.  Online, you will find more information with links to the digitized resources. 

Consular Correspondence

The Consular Correspondence is arranged in four series of records:

• Instructions to U.S. Consuls, 1800-1906:
  
  Copies of instructions sent by the Department of State to U.S. consular officers concerning their official duties.  The documents are arranged chronologically without regard to addressee post except for the period from 1835 to 1870 when they are arranged geographically and thereunder chronologically without regard to addressee post.  The instructions cover a wide variety of subjects and vary by post.  Topics include the administration of consulates (appointments, leaves of absence, equipment and supplies, and funds and expenditures); the issuance of passports; the settlement of estates of citizens dying abroad; the protection of U.S. citizens abroad; assistance to U.S. seamen in foreign ports; commercial matters; and other topics.  The records from 1801 to 1834 are available online.  Online, you will find more information and links to the images.   
  
  Instructions for the years 1789-1800 are found either with the DIPLOMATIC INSTRUCTIONS or among the DOMESTIC LETTERS.
   
• Despatches [reports] received from Consuls, 1783-1906:
  
  The records consist of the despatches (reports) and related enclosures received by the Department of State from American consular officers overseas.  The despatches from each consular post are filed together, usually under the heading of the name of the city in which the post was located.  The despatches from each consulate are arranged chronologically.  The despatches cover a wide range of subjects.  The topics vary by post but generally include: consular fees received and other administrative matters; arrivals and departures of American vessels (seaport posts); assistance to American seamen (seaport posts); protection of U.S. citizens; issuance of passports; trade statistics; emigration; floods, famines, epidemics, and other disasters; economic development; commerce and industry; agriculture; mining and manufacturing; transportation; and other information collected in the course of normal consular business.  In addition to consular and commercial matters, the despatches include reports on political conditions; the latter more so from posts in colonial possessions. 
  
  The enclosures to numerous later 19th century despatches on commercial matters are not found in the files. Those enclosures were sent to other offices in the Department of State for use in compiling data on commercial relations.  It is possible that those enclosures or the information from them might be found among publications of the Department of State from that period.  For more information, please see the section on Commercial Relations on the Publications and Websites page.
  
  See more information and links to the online resources.  There are two lists with links to the online resources.  The first is arranged alphabetically by name of the city, with a few exceptions, in which the consulate was located and the second is arranged alphabetically by name of country or colonial possession and thereunder alphabetically by name of city.
   
• Notes from the Department to Foreign Consuls in the United States, 1853-1906:
  
  Copies of communications sent by the Department of State to foreign consular officers in the United States.  Those communications relate to many phases of their consular duties.  They are arranged in one large chronological file.  Notes sent before 1853 are found in the DOMESTIC LETTERS and the NOTES FROM THE DEPARTMENT TO FOREIGN LEGATIONS AND EMBASSIES.  See more information and a link to the online resources.  
   
• Notes to the Department from Foreign Consuls in the United States, 1789-1906:
  
  The records consist of communications, with related enclosures, received by the Department of State from foreign consuls in the United States.  The documents are arranged in a single chronological run.  These are the corollary to the NOTES TO FOREIGN CONSULS, and like them, they relate to many phases of their consular duties.  Among the enclosures are commissions of consuls and some copies of ceremonial letters from heads of foreign states to the President of the United States.  See more information with a link to the online resources.

Miscellaneous Correspondence

This category comprises records not included under the headings of the diplomatic and consular records. Included is correspondence with the President, other U.S. government agencies, Congress, and the public. The records are found in two series, each arranged chronologically.

• Domestic Letters, 1784-1906:
  
  This series consists principally of copies of letters sent by the Department of State to persons other than U.S. and foreign diplomatic and consular officers.  That includes the President, heads of other U.S. Government agencies, members of Congress, governors of states and territories, other state and territorial officers, and the public.  The records are arranged chronologically.  There are some letters, principally for the years 1789‑1828, to U.S. and foreign diplomatic and consular officers.  These records cover a wide range of foreign and domestic subjects.  Many of the letters relate solely to such domestic duties of the Department as the administration of the Territories, the printing and distribution of the laws, the registration of copyrights, the taking of the census, and the publication of the Biennial Register.  Other letters concern foreign affairs. The letters for 1799‑1802 are missing.  You may link to the online resources.
   
• Miscellaneous Letters, 1789-1906:
  
  The records consist of letters, with related enclosures, received by the Department of State from sources other than U.S. and foreign diplomatic and consular officers.  That includes the President, heads of other U.S. Government agencies, members of Congress, governors of states and territories, other state and territorial officers, and the public.  These records cover a wide range of subjects relating to both domestic and international affairs.  The records are arranged chronologically.  Many of the letters relate solely to the domestic duties of the Department, such as the administration of the Territories, the printing and distribution of the laws, the registration of copyrights, the taking of the census, and the publication of the Biennial Register.  Many letters concerning patent applications and immigration originally part of this series were transferred, along with those functions, to other Government agencies.  The answers to these letters are found in the Domestic Letters.   You may link to the online resources.

Finding Aids

The finding aids for the records from the 1789-1906 period changed over time.  For the most part, they consist of the contemporary indexes and registers covering the various series of records comprising the Diplomatic Correspondence, the Consular Correspondence, and the Miscellaneous Correspondence.  The following is a brief discussion of each series and the most important finding aids to it.  More detailed information is in Part I of Inventory 15: Inventory of the General Records of the Department of State.  A copy of the inventory is in the Research Room and you can link to it from the website.

Diplomatic Correspondence

• Instructions to U.S. Ministers and Ambassadors, 1785-1906.   Most volumes for the period before 1870 include a register of their contents.  Those registers are included on the microfilm of each volume.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF DIPLOMATIC INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES TO FOREIGN MISSIONS which is on rolls 11-18 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

• Despatches [reports] from U.S. Ministers and Ambassadors, 1789-1906.  For the 1789-1870 period, see the REGISTER OF DESPATCHES.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF DESPATCHES FROM U.S. DIPLOMATIC OFFICERS AND OF NOTES FROM FOREIGN MISSIONS which is on rolls 1-10 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.  Generally, the registers of despatches from each country are included on the relevant microfilm publication.

• Notes from the Department to Foreign Legations and Embassies in Washington, 1793-1906.  There are registers that provide fragmentary and inconsistent coverage for the 1812-1870 period.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF DIPLOMATIC INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES TO FOREIGN MISSIONS which is on rolls 11-18 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

• Notes to the Department from Foreign Legations and Embassies in Washington, 1789-1906.  There are registers that provide fragmentary and inconsistent coverage for the 1812-1870 period.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF DESPATCHES FROM U.S. DIPLOMATIC OFFICERS AND OF NOTES FROM FOREIGN MISSIONS which is on rolls 1-10 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

Special Agents

• Instructions, 1823‑1906.  The most comprehensive finding aid to these records is National Archives Special List No. 7: A List of Documents Relating to Special Agents of the Department of State, 1789-1906 (1951). 

• Despatches [reports], 1794‑1906.  The most comprehensive finding aid to these records is National Archives Special List No. 7: A List of Documents Relating to Special Agents of the Department of State, 1789-1906 (1951). 

Consular Correspondence

• Instructions to U.S. Consuls, 1800-1906.  There are registers that provide fragmentary and inconsistent coverage for the 1812-1870 period.  Each volume of the instructions before 1833 includes an index of names.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF INSTRUCTIONS TO CONSULS AND NOTES TO FOREIGN CONSULS which is on rolls 33-44 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

• Despatches [reports] received from Consuls, 1789-1906.  There are no registers for the period through 1827.  Individual volumes might include lists.  After that, see the REGISTERS OF CONSULAR DESPATCHES, 1828-70, and the REGISTER OF CONSULAR DESPATCHES, 1870-1906.  The registers for 1870-1906 are on rolls 19-44 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

• Notes from the Department to Foreign Consuls in the United States, 1853-1906.  Each volume before 1870 contains a register.  For the period from 1870-1906 see the REGISTER OF INSTRUCTIONS TO CONSULS AND NOTES TO FOREIGN CONSULS which is on rolls 33-44 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

• Notes to the Department from Foreign Consuls in the United States, 1789-1906.  There is no register or index to these notes before 1870; beginning in that year they were entered in the REGISTER OF CONSULAR DESPATCHES, 1870‑1906.  The registers for 1870-1906 are on rolls 19-44 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M17.

Miscellaneous Correspondence

• Domestic Letters, 1784-1906.  Each volume of the Domestic Letters before June 1870 includes a name index which is included on the microfilm of each volume.  The INDEX TO DOMESTIC LETTERS, 1802-1811, and 1840-1906, is on rolls 57-71 of National Archives Microfilm Publication.   
   
• ​Miscellaneous Letters, 1789-1906.   Calendars covering the period from 1789 to 1825 are found on roll 1 of M179.  Registers for the period 1860-1906, are on rolls 45-56 of National Archives Microfilm Publication. 

Beginning with the records for 1861, Foreign Relations of the United States can assist with identifying documentation of interest.