The Gelston Papers are arranged chronologically, with occasional further organization by subject, and contained in 24 legal size document boxes. Most of the correspondence is filed in Boxes 1 through 12, the first two of which contain only Gelston's outgoing drafts organized by day, month and year. These drafts cover general customs matters, with numerous letters, notes, and memos to the Surveyor and inspectors, and to shippers or other individuals doing business with the Customs House. Boxes 3 and 4 are filled with similarly arranged incoming general correspondence, much of it related to Gelston's drafts in the previous boxes. Surveyors' and inspectors' reports regarding the boarding and searching of vessels, the confiscating of illegal cargos, and the investigation of smuggling activities are present, along with letters from merchants and others doing business through the Collector's Office.

Gelston's correspondence with the U. S. Treasury Department - incoming and outgoing drafts interfiled in chronological order - fill the next five boxes. Correspondence with Treasury Secretaries Albert Gallatin 1803-1814, Alexander J. Dallas 1814-1816, and William Crawford 1816 - 1820, involve interpretation of the embargo laws to specific cases, instructions for enforcing new trade legislation, suggestions for appointments to Customs House positions, and the receipt of circulars and Treasury decisions regarding various libel cases before the District Court. The correspondence between David Gelston and the Comptroller's Office generally concerns his accounts with the Treasury Department for everything from expenses incurred during libel cases, to money paid out for renting and refurbishing the Customs House. Accountability for the expenses and income involved in the operation of the Port of New York was controlled through the Comptroller's Office.

A limited amount of correspondence - primarily outgoing drafts with the Secretary of State and the President of the United States is filed in Box 9. Included here is a draft of Gelston's letter of resignation, August 18, 1820, to President James Monroe.

Box 10 contains an interesting collection of correspondence, incoming and outgoing, relative to impressment of American seamen, and to people in debtors' prison. Here also is a series of incoming letters, 1812-1813, to Gelston from people informing the Collector of embargo violations. These "informers' letters" were evidently the product of legislation that would bring rewards to these people if the government successfully prosecuted the violators based on their information.

Correspondence between Gelston and Collectors at other ports is found in Box 11. Arranged alphabetically by port, with Boston and Philadelphia the most prominent, the letters cover general matters of coordinating enforcement of laws, alerting Collectors to the arrival at their port of vessels that might be in violation of the embargo, and other similar subjects.

Correspondence regarding government and libel cases against embargo violators is filed in Box 12. Primarily there are outgoing drafts and incoming letters, chronologically interfiled, between David Gelston and New York District Attorneys Edward Livingston 1802-1804, Nathan Sanford 1805-1814, and Jonathan Fisk 1815-1819. Included is correspondence with Attorney Charles Baldwin, who evidently sued Gelston for attorney's fees. Related documents and other papers regarding these cases before the District Court are filed chronologically in Box 20.

Box 13 contains papers and documents relative to the operation of the Public Store, a place where confiscated goods and cargos were deposited while questions of guilt or innocence were being decided. Should no violations be found, the items would be released to the shippers or consignees. If the law had been broken, the goods would eventually be sold, usually at auction, with the income going to the government. The Public Store was one of Gelston's more important responsibilities, as was the operation of the Marine Hospital, and some of his reports and other general papers regarding the hospital are found in Box 14.

The Collector was also responsible for the operation of the Port's revenue cutters. The captains of these vessels received their commissions from the Treasury Department, sometimes after being recommended for the position by the Collector. Box 15 contains correspondence and related documents and papers relative to cutter operations, and construction of cutters in New York shipyards. The papers are arranged alphabetically by vessel name.

An interesting and varied collection of papers regarding general operation of the Customs House has been organized by subject and filed in Box 16. Here one will find lists of clerks employed by the Port of New York, and a list of inspectors for 1814, information regarding libels, accounts of annual expenses, and a petition to remove the Surveyor from office. Box 17 contains Gelston's quarterly reports and current accounts with the U. S. Government, and while some reports are missing, it still represents a valid presentation of the Collector's major accounts between 1801 and 1820.

Boxes 18 and 19 contains papers, documents and related correspondence for vessels that had been suspected of violating the embargo or other customs regulations. The material is arranged by vessel name.

As previously mentioned, Box 20 is filled with papers regarding embargo and customs violations that were brought before the New York District Court. Included are sworn libel statements, receipts for witnesses, and other related documents, all arranged in chronological order- 1801 to 1820. These court cases were an important part of Gelston's activities as Collector, and would eventually be the chief cause of his accounting difficulties with the Treasury Department when he retired. While we have attempted to bring together all papers obviously relative to these cases in this box, the researcher should not hesitate to check for related information in other areas of the Gelston Papers.

In Box 21 are bonds and related papers. In this instance the bonds were between individuals and the government, pledging compliance with our maritime laws and regulations during a forthcoming voyage by a vessel under their control. Violations of these agreements would usually result in a government libel suit against the bond holder in District Court.

Box 22 contains papers relative to Gelston's problems with the Treasury Department after he retired. Primarily correspondence between him and the Comptroller, Joseph Anderson, along with copies of accounts and receipts, etc., the items are chronologically arranged, 1820-1843.

Miscellaneous papers are contained in the last two boxes. Box 23 has been organized by subject, and here will be found shipping manifests for various vessels, a detailed description of a proposed lighthouse, 1810, information regarding relative values of international currencies, and correspondence between Gelston and captains of two Royal Navy ships anchored off New York, September 3-7, 1807. Box 24 contains bills, receipts, memos, unidentified documents and papers, all filed by year, 1800-1820, plus undated material.

Items in this collection are considered to be in fair to good condition. Xeroxing of limited numbers of pieces in this collection is possible after an evaluation of their condition by the manuscripts staff. Researchers must be aware of the importance of the DAVID GELSTON PAPERS, and agree to treat each piece with appropriate consideration due to fragile items of historical significance.