Series: Part 1: Original Collection, 1877-1906

Subseries: A. Records of the National Executive Committee, 1878-1906

Minutes, 1889 August 28-1891 September 27
Scope and Content Note: This official minute book of the National Executive Committee contains a record in German of the regular weekly meetings and the special meetings of the Committee, as well as financial statements and reports of the Committee, the Board of Supervision, and the party press.

Outgoing Correspondence, Letter Books
Scope and Content Note: These five volumes of letter-press copy books, with incomplete alphabetical indexes, contain copies of letters written by the secretaries of the National Executive Committee and other national officials of the party to the Board of Supervision, the sections, the section officials, the agitators, the party newspapers, and individual party members. This correspondence, written primarily in German and English with some scattered letters in French, largely concerns routine party business such as section meetings and activities, orders for literature and dues stamps, newspaper subscriptions, agitation tours, finances, and National Executive Committee actions. These letter-press copy books are deteriorating, and some of the letters are almost illegible.

1883 June 20-1885 June 5
Scope and Content Note: Letters signed by Emil Kreis, Hugo Vogt, and W.L. Rosenberg.

1888 August 14-1889 June 4
Scope and Content Note: Letters signed by William Hintze.

1889 June 4-1891 May 26
Scope and Content Note: Letters signed by William Hintze, W.L. Rosenberg, Joseph H. Sauter, Adolf Gerecke, and Benjamin J. Gretsch

1891 June 6-1892 March 25
Scope and Content Note: Letters signed by Benjamin J. Gretsch and Henry Kuhn.

1892 March 26-December 27
Scope and Content Note: Letters signed by Henry Kuhn.

Lists of Letters Received
Scope and Content Note: These three volumes compiled by National Secretary Henry Kuhn contain an inventory in English of the correspondence received by the National Executive Committee. Upon receiving correspondence, Kuhn numbered each letter and recorded in these volumes the number, the surname of the correspondent, his city, and the date of receipt.

1891 October 16-1893 June 23
Scope and Content Note: This volume contains not only a list of letters received, 1891, November 2-1893, June 23, but also a list of sections organized or dissolved between 1891, October 16 and 1893 May 24, with notations on their nationality.

1893 June 23-1894 October 9

1897 January 20-1899 May 10

Incoming Correspondence

1878-1884 January 19

1885 January 1-19

1885 January 20-1892

1885 January 20-1895

1896 January-May

1896 June

1896 July

1896 August

1896 September 1-15

1896 September 16-30

1896 October 1-14

1896 October 15-31

1896 November

1896 December

1897 January

1897 February-March 18

1897 March 19-April 15

1897 April 16-May

1897 June 1-14

1897 June 15-July

1897 August 1-16

1897 August 17-September

1897 October 1-14

1897 October 15-November

1897 December

1898 January

1898 February

1898 March-April

1898 May

1898 June

1898 July

1898 August

1898 September

1898 October

1898 November

1898 December

1899 January-February

1899 March 1-22

1899 March 23-April

1899 May 1-22

1899 May 23-December

1899, undated

1900-1906, undated

Ballots
Scope and Content Note: Official ballots of the Socialist Labor Party sections and the members at large on assorted questions of party policy and selection of party officials compose this group.

1880 March 10: Ratification of the platform and the amendments to the constitution adopted by the national convention

1899 October 10: Votes on the question to hold a special national convention and the selection of a date and site

1900 March 31: Selection of a site for the national convention

1901 January 19: Election of the National Executive Committee members

1901, July 10: Ratification of the National Executive Committee action regarding an invitation from the National Executive Board of the Social Democratic Party to participate in the Indianapolis Socialist Unity Convention

1902 March 14: Selection of the amendments to the constitution concerning the party press

1902 September 15: Votes on the question to hold a special national convention

1903 March 27: Election of the National Executive Committee members

1904 November 9: Ratification of the actions of the national convention

1904 November 9: Ratification of the constitution adopted by the national convention

Financial Records, 1881-1899
Scope and Content Note: Official accounting records of the National Executive Committee kept by the national treasurer or the national secretary. Most volumes contain a record of the receipts and expenditures of the National Executive Committee, but some volumes also include the accounts of special funds administered by the Committee.

Account Book, 1881 November 17-1885 January 31
Scope and Content Note: Entries include National Executive Committee receipts and expenditures, 1881, November 17-1884, December 31; Deutsche Reichstagswahl Fund Accounts, 1883, April 3-1884, December 31; Party Paper Fund Accounts, 1884, February 8-1885, January 31; Subscriptions to the Party Press, 1884, November 19-December 31; and Hocking Valley Strikers Fund Accounts, 1885, January 20.

Account Book, 1884 January 1-1888 February 6
Scope and Content Note: Entries include National Executive Committee receipts and expenditures, 1884 January 1-1887 December 31; Cigar Maker's Progressive Union Lockout Fund Accounts, 1886, February 1-June 6; Liebknecht-Aveling Agitation Fund Accounts, 1886 March 29-December 31; English Party Organ Accounts, 1885 October 26-1887, May 27; Central Party Organ Accounts, 1884 May 1-1888 February 6; and Deutsche Reichstagswahl Fund Accounts, 1884 April-1885 January 26. Indexed.

Account Book, 1888 October 17-1890 November 7
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal of National Executive Committee receipts and expenditures.

Account Book, 1890 November 8-1891 August 21
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal of National Executive Committee receipts and expenditures.

Deutsche Reichstagswahl Account Book, 1884 April 20-December 31
Scope and Content Note: Record book of the Deutsche Reichstagswahl Fund subscription list.

Account Book, Money Orders, 1886 October 30-1888 March 16
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal of money orders received by the National Executive Committee.

Account Book, Special Funds, 1893 January 17-1896 July 17
Scope and Content Note: Entries include A. Monteleone Accounts, 1893 January 17-1895 July 19; [Grand Rapids, Michigan] Volkstribun Accounts, 1896 January 14-March 25; and Accounts for J. Wilson Becker, party agitator, 1896 June 12-July 17.

Account Book, Dead Debts, 1895-1899
Scope and Content Note: Entries include the names of debtors and the amount of the debts. The records may pertain to one of the party newspapers.

Agitators' Date Book, 1896 August 1-November 1
Scope and Content Note: This volume contains the itineraries of Socialist Labor Party agitators and candidates during the 1896 presidential campaign. Speaking dates were recorded for Martha Moore Avery, Howard Balkam, Harry Carless, Daniel De Leon, Max Forker, Alexander Jonas, W. E. Krumroy, Matthew Maguire, Charles H. Matchett, Lucien Sanial, F. J. Sieverman, and Charles Wilson.

List of Sections and Officers, circa 1896
Scope and Content Note: This volume, prepared by National Secretary Henry Kuhn, lists the Socialist Labor Party state committees, local sections, and the names and addresses of their officers.

Subseries: B. Records of the Party Press, 1885-1904

New York Labor News Company

Letter Book, 1889 April 9-August 21
Scope and Content Note: This letter-press copy book, with an incomplete alphabetical index, contains copies of letters written by William Hintze for the New York Labor News Company to party members, section officials, and publishers. The correspondence, written primarily in German with some letters in English, concerns mainly literature orders and statements of sections and individuals in account with the company.

Orders for Books, 1904 May 24-July 30
Scope and Content Note: Entries include name and address of persons placing orders, titles of literature requested, dates ordered and filled, number of copies, and cost.

Der Sozialist

List of Subscribers, 1885-1891
Scope and Content Note: Entries include names and addresses of subscribers to Der Sozialist, arranged by state and city.

News Dealers' Accounts, 1889 July 1-1891 April 2
Scope and Content Note: Accounts Receivable Ledger for news dealers who purchased and sold Der Sozialist. Indexed.

Arbeiter Zeitung, Account Book, 1898 May 2-1899 July 29
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal of receipts and expenditures of the Arbeiter Zeitung.

New Yorker Volkzeitung and Vorwarts, Correspondence
Scope and Content Note: This correspondence file consists of letters, mainly in German, addressed to the editors of the Volkzeitung and Vorwarts from section officials, representatives of city and state committees, and other party members. The correspondence contains articles and reports of sections and agitators for publication, letters from readers for publication in the newspaper letter boxes, orders for subscriptions, and inquiries about editorial policy, finances, the trade-union movement, and the Socialist Labor Party program.

1889, 1891-1895

1896-1899

189?

undated

The People, Correspondence
Scope and Content Note: Formerly designated the Daniel De Leon Papers, this correspondence file consists of letters, reports, and articles addressed to The People or to its editor, Daniel De Leon, from section officers, national party officials, and agitators. In content this file is similar to the National Executive Committee correspondence. Many of the reports and articles were marked for publication in The People. Included are also a few letters, drafts of letters, and articles written by De Leon himself. Among De Leon's correspondents were Henry B. Ashplant, Martha Moore Avery, J. Waldron Badger, J. Mahlon Barnes, Charles A. Baustian, Charles F. Bechtold, J. Wilson Becker, Victor L. Berger, B. Berlyn (Illinois state committee officer), Ernest Bohm, Thomas C. Brophy, Peter E. Burrowes, Harry Carless, Charles B. Copp, Thomas Curran, Daniel De Lury, Richard T. Ely, Leonard Fish, David Goldstein, J. Keir Hardie, Thomas A. Hickey, Pablo Iglesias, Arthur Keep, R.J. Kerrigan, Henry Kuhn, Algernon Lee, George B. Leonard, Frances MacDaniel, Lawrence J. McParlin, Matthew Maguire, Charles R. Martin, M.C. Massie, George Moore, S.E. Putney, Moritz Ruther, Lucien Sanial, Joseph H. Sauter, Walker Sawyer, F. Serrer (Connecticut state committee officer), James R. Sovereign, Hugo Vogt, and Walter Vrooman.

1892, 1894-1895 October

1895 November-December

1896 January-October

1896 November-1897 April

1897 May-September

1897 October-1898 March

1898 April-1901, undated

Daily People Committee, Minutes, 1895 February 13-1899 December 3
Scope and Content Note: This official minute book of the Daily People Committee includes minutes of regular and special meetings, the names and addresses of committee members and trustees, financial statements, committee reports and appointments, and a savings account agreement.

Abendblatt, Minutes, 1901 October 21
Scope and Content Note: This file contains the draft of the minutes of a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Abendblatt.

Abendblatt Fund, List of Subscribers, 1900-1901 [?]
Scope and Content Note: Entries record receipts from subscriptions and donations to the Abendblatt Fund. Each entry includes the subscription list number, the amount of the subscription or donation, and the name and address of the subscriber. Indexed alphabetically.

Workmen's Printing Company, Records, 1901 May 14-1902 April 15
Scope and Content Note: This file includes by-laws; minutes of a meeting, 1902 April 3; weekly financial statements of shares collections, 1901 July 12-1902 April 15; stock certificates, 1901 May 14-1902 January 6; and a list of the shareholders and the amount of stock held in May 1901.

Subseries: C. Records of the National Board of Appeals, 1878-1900

Minutes, 1879 November 8-December 1; 1899 August 16-1900 May 27
Scope and Content Note: Official minutes in English of the regular and special meetings of the National Board of Appeals. The minutes include the names of attending board members, the secretary's reports, and the decisions of the board in appeal cases. Entries cover 1879, November 8-December 1 and 1899, August 16-1900, May 27.

Letter Book, 1878 April 1-1880 April 20
Scope and Content Note: This volume includes copies and drafts of letters in German and English to the National Executive Committee, national secretary, party sections, party newspapers and their editors about the actions of the Board of Supervision in appeal cases.

Correspondence, 1888-1889, 1893, 1895-1900
Scope and Content Note: This correspondence file contains letters in German and English to the National Board of Appeals or to its secretary from the national secretary, party members, and sections; drafts or copies of letters from the board to the National Executive Committee, sections, or members; affidavits and testimony in appeal cases; and reports of the board to the national conventions. The file includes information about the cases of H. N. Casson (1895), Sections Rockville and Syracuse (1896), J. Wilson Becker (1896), Charles F. Kelley (1896), F. G. R. Gordon (1897), T. F. Burns (1899), Job Harriman (1899), C. Claus (1900), Jules Magnette (1900), Section Los Angeles (1900), and Section Cincinnati and Edward G. Jacobs (1900), as well as about the party controversies and difficulties in 1888 and 1889.

Subseries: D. Records of the National Conventions, 1877-1904

1877 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platform, constitution, resolutions, and proceedings in English.

1880 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms, constitutions, resolutions, and proceedings in English and German.

1881 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platform and constitution in German.

1883 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms and constitution in English and German, and proceedings in German.

1885 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms and constitutions in English and German, and proceedings in German.

1887 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms, constitutions, and proceedings in English and German.

1889 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms and constitutions in English and German; holograph proceedings in German; holograph report of the National Board of Supervision in German; correspondence in German and English; credentials in English; votes in German.

1893 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms and constitutions in English and German; typescript and holograph reports of the National Executive Committee, the Labor News Company, Vorwarts, and the National Board of Grievances in English and German; correspondence and credentials in English.

1896 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Platforms and constitutions in English and German; printed proceedings in English; typescript reports of the National Executive Committee, the general manager of the Socialist Newspaper Union, and the National Board of Grievances in English; correspondence, credentials, and votes in English.

1900 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Constitution and proceedings in English.

1900 Convention (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Proceedings and correspondence in English.

1904 Convention
Scope and Content Note: Constitution, proceedings, reports, resolutions, and correspondence in English.

Subseries: E. Records concerning Party Activities: Notebooks, Scrapbooks, and Clippings, 1880-1905

W.L. Rosenberg, Notebook, 1884
Scope and Content Note: Notebook in German kept by Rosenberg while national secretary of the Socialist Labor Party. Entries include names and addresses of party members, literature lists, and notes on sections.

Daniel De Leon, Notebook, 1896 January 2-1897 January 2
Scope and Content Note: Notebook in English kept by De Leon, Socialist Labor Party leader and editor of The People. Entries include short diary notes during 1896, assorted names and addresses, agitation accounts and distances traveled for the party, especially during the presidential campaign.

Scrapbooks, 1880-1905

Scrapbook I, 1880-1898
Scope and Content Note: Clippings from socialist publications and Socialist Labor Party leaflets, in English and German.

Scrapbook II, 1880-1905
Scope and Content Note: Clippings on the labor and socialist movements from socialist and non-socialist newspapers in English and German; and Socialist Labor Party leaflets and political campaign materials in English and German.

Scrapbook III, 1892-1897
Scope and Content Note: Newspaper clippings on the labor movement in English and German; and New York state Socialist Labor Party political campaign leaflets, mainly 1893, in English and German.

Scrapbook IV (Moritz Ruther Scrapbook), 1886-1900
Scope and Content Note: Clippings in English gathered by Ruther, a member of the Socialist Labor Party in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Included are clippings of his letters and articles published in newspapers and accounts of the meetings of the Holyoke Board of Aldermen in 1899 when Ruther was a member of the board.

Scrapbook V (Fred W. Long Scrapbook), 1894-1900
Scope and Content Note: Clippings in English of articles and poems on the socialist movement assembled by Long, member of the Socialist Labor Party in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A few handbills and clippings pertain to Long's candidacy for state and city offices on the Socialist Labor Party tickets in Pennsylvania in 1894 and 1896.

Clippings, 1880, 1889-1890, 1892, 1894-1901, 1903, undated

The American Citizen newspaper, July 25, 1896

Subseries: F. Records of State Committees and Local Sections, 1878-1906

Massachusetts

Adams Section

Minutes
Scope and Content Note: These four volumes are official minute books in German of the Adams Section of the party. The records include by-laws, dues payment records, financial statements, and lists of literature. Volume 22 contains a draft of some of the minutes recorded in Volume 23.

1884 November 23-1886 June 13

1886 July 30-1888 October 2

1886 April 15-1890 September 18

1895 July 10-1897 September 29

Account Book, 1885 December-1897 November
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal in German of the receipts and expenditures of the Adams Section.

Dues Book, 1885 January-1896 December
Scope and Content Note: Membership lists and records of dues payments in German. Entries also include a list of section property.

Boston, Flemish Section, Dues Book, 1892-1894 September
Scope and Content Note: Individual accounts of dues payments in Flemish. Indexed alphabetically.

Boston, Scandinavian Section, Minutes, 1904 March 31-1906 March 16
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in Swedish.

New York

New York State Committee

Minutes

1896 August 23-1901 November 11
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in English of the New York State Committee. Entries include the names and addresses of the members of the committee, as well as the minutes of regular and special meetings.

1899 April 28
Scope and Content Note: Rough draft in English of the minutes of a meeting of the New York State Committee.

Correspondence
Scope and Content Note: Correspondence in German and English addressed to the New York State Committee or to its secretaries, Hugo Vogt and Lucien Sanial, from national party officials, agitators, and officers and members of the New York sections of the Socialist Labor Party. Most of the letters pertain to the daily routine of party business: section meetings, committee reports, agitation tours, membership, dues payments, newspaper subscriptions, and political campaigns.

1884-1885, 1894-1895

1896-1902, undated

Buffalo Section, Branch 2 (11th Ward), Minutes, 1899 June 10-1901 April 13
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in English for this section from its date of organization. Additional entries include membership lists, charter, financial statements, and the undated minutes of the organizational meeting of the Central Labor Federation, District Alliance No. 5, Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance of Buffalo.

Mount Vernon Section

Minutes, 1894 April 29-1898 August 20
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book of this section. Entries include the minutes of regular and special meetings in German of the German section between 1894, April 29 and 1895, September 4, as well as minutes of the section in English after it reorganized as the American section on 1895, December 2. Additional entries include membership lists, minutes of committee meetings, and financial statements.

Account Book, 1894 June 2-1898 August 20
Scope and Content Note: Receipts and expenditures of the section, written in German and English.

Dues Book, 1894 May 5-1898 July
Scope and Content Note: Individual accounts of dues payments. Entries include membership lists and some accounting records of the section. Indexed alphabetically.

New York City Central Committee, Minutes, 1879 April 25-October 25
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in English of the New York City Central Committee. Entries include minutes of regular meetings, correspondence, receipts, accounts, broadsides, membership lists, roll calls, and lists of committee members and officers. The volume also contains official minutes and related papers, correspondence, receipts, and accounts of the New York City and County Executive Committee during the 1879 campaign.

New York City, American Section, Minutes, 1878 January 3-1879 October 15
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book of this section in English. Records include the minutes of regular and special meetings, accounts of dues payments, correspondence, financial statements, and broadsides.

Newtown Section

Ridgewood-Glendale Branch, Minutes, 1889 May 19-1891 October 24
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in German for this section.

Ridgewood Branch, Account Book, 1889 May-1891 October
Scope and Content Note: Day Journal in German of receipts and expenditures of the Ridgewood Branch. Entries include a record of dues payments.

Texas: Houston, Italian Section, Records

Minutes, 1896 February 22-1898 May 9
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book of the section in Italian.

Dues Book, 1896 February-1898 April
Scope and Content Note: Records in Italian, including individual accounts of dues payments and contributions to special funds.

Washington: Everett Section, Minutes, 1897 October 1-1898 April 7
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in English from the organization of this section until its dissolution. Entries include membership lists, dues information, and a list of charter members.

British Columbia: Vancouver, Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance, Local Alliance No. 250

Minutes, 1899 June 4-1900 December 21
Scope and Content Note: Official minute book in English. Entries include minutes of meetings from the organization to the dissolution of this section of the Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance, as well as a list of charter members, financial statements, and by-laws.

Account Book, 1899 June 4-1900 December 23
Scope and Content Note: Receipts and expenditures of this organization, written in English.