The Bill of Rights
U.S Congress. Acts Passed at a Congress of the United States of America, … the city of New York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, in the year M,DCC,LXXXIX.
New York: Francis Childs and John Swaine, Printers to the United States, 1789
Folio. Original marbled wrappers with contemporary manuscript title “Laws passed 1st Session,” rebacked in matching marbled paper. Erasure from title page. Without rear free endpaper. Some foxing, a number of leaves browned. An excellent, untrimmed copy.
First edition of the acts of the first session of the First United States Congress including the first book printing and the first official printing of the Bill of Rights. This is the book through which the momentous acts of the First Congress were made available to legislators and public alike, ushering in a new era in the history of government. “The importance of the First Federal Congress cannot be exaggerated. It played a critical role as the body which began to implement and interpret the new Constitution of the United States. The conception of the government occurred at the Federal Convention, but it was not until the First Federal Congress began to make decisions and pass enabling legislation that life was breathed into that government” (First Federal Congress Project). The First Congress “was a virtual second sitting of the Federal Convention, fleshing out the governmental structure outlined in the Constitution and addressing the difficult issues left unresolved by the Constitution” (Documentary History of the First Federal Congress).
This landmark book in American history includes the first official printing of The Bill of Rights, the fundamental American document guaranteeing individual liberties. The freedoms guaranteed herein include: free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the right to petition for redress of grievances, the right to bear arms, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, protection from self-incrimination, the right to due process and fair trial, and other fundamental protections. On June 8, 1789, James Madison called on Congress to propose a series of amendments, a Bill of Rights, for ratification by the states. On September 26, 1789, Congress settled on the final wording of the amendments and resolved that the President should transmit “engrossed” (handwritten) copies to the states for ratification.
Published on October 5, 1789, just three days after the handwritten parchment copies were sent to the states for ratification, this volume contains the first official printing of the twelve original amendments to the Constitution in their final forms as recommended and sent to the states by Congress. This printing of the Bill of Rights is preceded only by newspaper printings; the document was first published separately about two weeks later. This official folio printing of the Acts was followed in 1789 by two reprints in smaller format.
The acts of the First Congress include the Oath of Allegiance Act (p. 15), the Customs Act (p. 17), the Department of Foreign Affairs Act (p. 21), the Department of War Act (p. 46), the Act for the Government of the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio (p. 47), the Treasury Department Act (p. 62), the Post Office Act (p. 68), the Judiciary Act (p. 72), and the Bill of Rights (p. 92)
This is a handsome copy of one of the rarest and most important founding documents of American government.
Evans 22189
$200,000