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EDITORIAL PROCEDURES
Abbreviations, Contractions, Superscripts, Numbers, Crossed-out
Words, and Blank Spaces
Abbreviations such as those for place names ("Phila." for Phil-
adelphia, for example) and military titles are spelled out. Contrac-
tions such as "can't," "tis," and "altho" are retained. Superscripts are
lowered to the line. Archaic forms such as "yt'" and "ye" are spelled
out, "&c." is printed "etc.," and "&" is printed "and." Numbers are
printed as they appear in the documents. Crossed-out words in docu-
ments, if they are significant, are placed in editorial notes. Otherwise
they are not reproduced. Spaces intentionally left blank in documents
are indicated by an underline.
Brackets
Brackets are used for the following purposes:
(1) Editorial insertions are enclosed in brackets: [Amendment].
(2) Conjectural readings are enclosed in brackets and followed by
a question mark: [Amendment?].
(3) Illegible and missing words are indicated by dashes enclosed
in brackets:       .
Legislative Proceedings
The actions of state legislatures relating to ratification are printed
under the headings "House Proceedings," "Senate Proceedings," or
whatever the name of the "upper" or "lower" house may be, and are
followed by the day and date. These proceedings consist primarily of
excerpts from the journals of state legislatures but are supplemented
by other sources.
When both houses acted on the same day, their actions are placed
under the heading: "House and Senate Proceedings." In such cases
the proceedings are arranged in the order of action by the two houses
so that the progress of a report, a resolution, or a bill through the
two houses can be followed in the order in which it occurred.
Messages, resolutions, and reports adopted by one house and sent
to the other were often copied in the journals of the house to which
they were sent. To avoid duplication in such cases, editorial notes
enclosed in brackets are placed at appropriate places in the journals.
No attempt has been made to reproduce literally the form of printed
or manuscript journals. Lists of names of members of committees, for
example, which appear in column form, are printed as paragraphs, and
each motion and resolution is set off as a paragraph.
When the first names of men making speeches or motions are not
given, they are inserted without using brackets. The full names of
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