laws, it is too much to expect that the result has been without omission or error. It is desired that readers possessed of pertinent information, will favor this library with their knowledge, so that errors may be corrected and omissions supplied.

The recent report of the committee of the American Association of Law Libraries on reprinting Session Laws, prepared by Dr. G. E. Wire of Worcester, dwells upon the widespread interest in and demand for session laws. Hitherto the literature of the subject has been so fragmentary and scattered as in large degree to be unavailable for practical needs. This Hand-List is designed to meet such immediate demand and interest, although it is hoped that some specialist, who is fortunate in possessing ample time and sufficient means, will soon publish a full bibliography of American session laws.

It is a pleasure to commend the zeal and interest which Mr. Babbitt has brought to the task of compilation. No labor has been too great in the search for information and no detail too small to receive its proper attention.

CHARLES F. D. BELDEN,
State Librarian.

HAND-LIST OF STATUTE LAW.

ALABAMA.

HISTORICAL.

1540. Alabama visited by Spaniards under Hernando de Soto. 1682. French assumed possession as part of Louisiana.

1763. Ceded to England by France in treaty known as "the Peace of

Paris." (Brown's "History of Alabama.")

1763-1817. The four parcels comprising the present State were sever-
ally held by: (1) South Carolina, until 1787; (2) Georgia,
until 1802; (3) Georgia, until 1798; (4) as parts of Louisiana
and Florida, until 1812. Subsequently to the dates last stated
(until 1817) all four parcels were included in Mississippi terri-
tory. (T. L. Cole, Publications Southern Hist. Ass'n, Vol. I,
p. 61.)

1817. Alabama Territory created by Act of Congress (Mar. 3).
1819. Admitted into the Union, Dec. 14 (U. S. Charters and Const's,

Part I, p. 27).

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Title of legislative body "General Assembly."
Session laws called "Acts."

Bibliography of Statute Law of Southern States: - Alabama. By
Theodore Lee Cole. Vol. I, Southern History Association.
Washington, 1897, p. 61.

Territory

SESSION LAWS.

1st Session, 1st General Assembly, Jan. 19, 1818. 2d Session, 1st General Assembly, Nov. 2, 1818.

State

1st Session, October 1819.

2d Session, Nov. 1820.

Called Session, June 1821.