- 165
[United States Constitution] — Lloyd, Thomas [reporter]
Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 USD
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Description
- Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States of America, with that Constitution Prefixed, in which are Unfolded, the Principles of Free Government, and the Superior Advantages of Republicanism Demonstrated. By James Wilson, L.L.D....and by Thomas M'Kean, L.L.D... London: Printed for J. Debrett, J. Johnson, and J.S. Jordan, 1792
- paper, ink, leather
[4], [5]-147pp. plus errata page, half title. BINDING: Bound to style in three-quarter speckled calf, antique, and marbled boards.
Occasional light spotting, hole in upper margin of first leaf, occasional closed tears.
Occasional light spotting, hole in upper margin of first leaf, occasional closed tears.
Literature
Adams, "Descriptive Bibliography of Works of and Relating to James Wilson 1742-1798," in Selected Political Essays of James Wilson pp.345-356; Cohen 2966; Ford, Federal Constitution 91; Howes L407 (ref); Sabin 104627.
Catalogue Note
THE PENNSYLVANIA DEBATES ON RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION This is the rare London edition of the speeches in favor of the United States Constitution made during the debates concerning its ratification by the State of Pennsylvania. It follows the Philadelphia printings of 1787 and 1788 (same sheets as the 1787 with a new title-page), and in fact Sabin and Ford assert this London edition is a reissue of the remainder of the 1788 edition, and that "merely the preliminary leaves and pp.20-23 appear to have been printed in England."
Although it was initially promised that both the speeches for and against the Constitution in the Pennsylvania ratifying convention would be printed, only one volume, the one containing the arguments favoring adoption, was ever printed. This was the result of a neat political trick; the Federalists proposed a two-volume format with the pro and con arguments in each one, an arrangement accepted by the other side. The Federalists then voted down funding of the proposed second volume that was to contain anti-Constitution arguments, preventing its publication. These speeches are of primary importance in the creation of the Constitution, since Pennsylvania was a key state in the ratification process. The two main Federalist speakers were two of the primary architects of the Constitution, James Wilson (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and University of Pennsylvania law professor) and Thomas M'Kean (Chief Justice of Pennsylvania).
This London edition is quite rare on the market and is little known; Howes, for example, does not list it. There have been only two copies in the market since 1940: one sold by this firm in 2013 and one offered by Goodspeed's.
Although it was initially promised that both the speeches for and against the Constitution in the Pennsylvania ratifying convention would be printed, only one volume, the one containing the arguments favoring adoption, was ever printed. This was the result of a neat political trick; the Federalists proposed a two-volume format with the pro and con arguments in each one, an arrangement accepted by the other side. The Federalists then voted down funding of the proposed second volume that was to contain anti-Constitution arguments, preventing its publication. These speeches are of primary importance in the creation of the Constitution, since Pennsylvania was a key state in the ratification process. The two main Federalist speakers were two of the primary architects of the Constitution, James Wilson (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and University of Pennsylvania law professor) and Thomas M'Kean (Chief Justice of Pennsylvania).
This London edition is quite rare on the market and is little known; Howes, for example, does not list it. There have been only two copies in the market since 1940: one sold by this firm in 2013 and one offered by Goodspeed's.