New Hampshire | The first proposed constitution

New Hampshire

An Address of the Convention for Framing a New Constitution of Government for the State of New-Hampshire, to the Inhabitants of Said State. New-Hampshire: Printed, and to be sold, at the printing-offices in Portsmouth [by Daniel Fowle] and Exeter [by Zechariah Fowle], 1781

12mo (approx: 195 x 120 mm). Woodcut head- and tailpieces; small hole to title, early ownership signatures to title, long primarily marginal horizontal tear to leaf F (presumably the result of opening the gathering), browning, spotting, and soiling. Later half calf and marbled paper-covered boards, spine gilt-lettered; first gathering evidently supplied, others uncut.

An early printing of the first proposed constitution for New HampshireThe constitution (pp. 17-63) is followed by an address by George Atkinson and Jona. M. Sewall, which introduces the proposed document. The present form of the New Hampshire constitution was ultimately rejected, but a revised version proposed in 1783 was approved by the state's delegates and citizens.  

REFERENCE:

ESTC W36761; Evans 17249; Sabin 52787