Continental Congress | The official Journals of the first two Continental Congresses

Continental Congress

Journal of the Proceedings of Congress, Held at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774. Philadelphia: William and Thomas Bradford, 1774 — Journal of the Proceedings of Congress, Held at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775. Philadelphia: William and Thomas Bradford, 1775

Two works bound in one volume, 8vo (197 x 120 mm). Journal, 1774: Half-title, woodcut seal of the Congress on title-page; half-title loose, some browning and staining. Journal, 1775: Half-title, woodcut seal on title-page; light, scattered foxing, some browning. Contemporary calf; spine gilt-lettered "C," edges speckled red, plain endpapers and edges; worn, rear joint cracked, upper board detached. Maroon cloth chemise and slipcase, burgundy morocco spine lettered gilt.

First editions of the official Journals of the first two Continental Congresses

"It had been resolved in June of 1774 that it was necessary to call a meeting of all the Committees of Correspondence throughout the Colonies to discuss the distressing differences between Great Britain and America, and to take appropriate united action" (Lilly/Powers). This first session of the Continental Congress sat at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia from 5 September to 26 October 1774. The principal achievements of the first Congress—all printed in this first Journal—were the adoption of a Declaration of Rights, the forming of an Association governing imports and exports and boycotting British goods, the drafting of an Address to the People of Great Britain and an Address to the Inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, and the resolution to reassemble on 10 May 1775 if colonial rights and liberties had not been restored.

The famous Congressional seal on the title-page depicts twelve hands, representing the twelve colonies (Georgia did not send delegates to Congress until the second session), supporting a column topped by a Liberty cap and resting on the Magna Carta, all framed by the motto Hanc Tuemur | Hanc Nitimur ("This we defend, this we lean upon"). The present first issue is quite rare; a more common second issue of the same year added a twelve-page Petition of the Continental Congress to the King. The first owner of the Journals, Nicholas Cresswell, is probably the young Englishman who travelled extensively in the American colonies during 1774–17 (see The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell, New York, 1924).

The 1775 journal includes reports concerning Lexington-Concord, an address to the inhabitants of Canada inviting them to join the thirteen colonies, American negotiations with the Six Nations, the Olive Branch Petition, among others.

PROVENANCE

Nicholas Cresswell (contemporary signature on title-page) — A.T. White (pencil signature on front free endpaper and inscribed with presumed date of acquisition, 21 February 1891)

REFERENCE

Celebration of My Country 51; Evans 13737, 14569; Howes J263, J264; Lilly/Powers 33; not in Hildeburn or Sabin, both of whom cite the second issue only