Correspondence received

Scope and content: Primarily letters received by Governor Osborn; however there are also proclamations and a few petitions, reports, copies of letters sent, and other types of documents. Some proclamations may have also been interfiled with other items received relating to the subjects of the proclamations.

The four sub-series include General (Alphabetical) File, State Departments, Subject Files, and Proclamations. General files include letters received relating to positions, recommendations, & vacancies; Governor Osborn's addresses; State contracts; the extension of State jurisdiction to former Indian reservations; the judiciary & judicial procedure; legislation; requests for information, publications, or action; politics; services & goods offered for sale; taxation; transportation; public lands; and interstate co-operation. Letters may have been filed here because there was not an appropriate place for them in the State Departments or Subject Files subseries.

State Departments files contain letters from or relating to State offices. Some of the letters relate to personnel, vacancies, resignations, and appointments, but most pertain to the operation of individual State agencies. The letters request the Governor to take specific actions, ask his approval, send him information, ask him questions, tell of events, provide legal opinions, forward other letters and petitions, confirm or acknowledge gubernatorial actions, and request the Governor's presence. Topics include organizing another Kansas cavalry regiment, supplies, boards of directors, inspections, State offices, judgeships, audits, the State treasury, the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, federal taxation, State payments, prisoners, bonds, and fraud. Arranged alphabetically by name of State agency.

Topics in the subject files include applications, endorsements, and remonstrances & appointments to State positions; bonds; charitable & correctional institutions; cities & towns; claims; counties & county organization; crime & criminals--including the Bender family--extraditions, & rewards; fairs; immigration; Indians; invitations; Indian, school, railroad, & other land; legislation; federal & State military affairs; railroads; relief; and the United States government. Arranged alphabetically by topic.

Proclamations are notices issued by the governor proclaiming rewards for criminals and are arranged numerically.

Contents: Subseries 1. General (Alphabetical) file, 1873-1876 - subseries 2. State departments, 1873-1876 - subseries 3. Subject files, 1873-1877 - subseries 4. Proclamations, 1873-1876.