Congress of the United States: at the second session begun and held at the City of New-York ... An Act to prescribe the Mode in which public Acts, Records and judicial proceedings in each state, shall be authenticated so as to take effect in every other state by JEFFERSON, Thomas (1743-1826) - 1790

[New York: Childs and Swaine, 1790. Folio. (15 1/8 x 9 inches). 1p. Signed by Thomas Jefferson, as Secretary of State. Expert repair to separation at horizontal centerfold. Housed in a full red morocco box. An act of the First Congress, signed by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson here transmits the first legislation to enforce the "Full Faith and Credit Clause" of the Constitution. The law was passed in May 1790 by the second session of the First Congress in order to fulfil Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, which stipulated "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof." Specifically, the legislation ordered that official state documents be authenticated by means of an official seal, and that "said records and judicial proceedings authenticated as aforesaid, shall have such faith and credit given to them in every court within the United States, as they have by law or usage in the courts of the State from whence the said records are, or shall be taken." Evans 22968.