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The purpose governing in the selection of papers for publication has been to portray General Putnam chiefly in his official character, and to print only those letters referred to in the Memoirs or closely germane to their subject-matter. In carrying out this purpose it has seemed desirable to print again some letters already published in The Life Journals, and Correspondence of Manasseh Cutler. A very few letters referred to in the Memoirs have not been found. The effort has been made to reproduce with minute accuracy these selected papers, many of which are entirely in General Putnam's own handwriting, and no one of which is without at least endorsement in his script. The editor has added some explanatory notes where it seemed necessary, denoting them by numer als to distinguish them from General Putnam's own notes, which are marked by asterisks.
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