American Presidents
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CATALOGUE TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE American Presidents WILLIAM REESE COMPANY 409 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 789-8081 A Note This catalogue is devoted to manuscript and printed material relating to presidents of the United States from George Washington to Lyndon Johnson. Besides original manuscripts by the presidents, there are books written by them, as well as printed material about them and their campaigns. There is also a section at the end about the presidency in the abstract, most notably a certified manuscript copy of the 12th Amend- ment of 1804, altering the manner of presidential elections. Within the catalogue, material is organized chronologically, president by president. While all but the most modern presidents are represented, the overwhelming emphasis here is on the first three. Highlights include a wonderful association copy of John Adams’ Letters; an unpublished Jefferson letter about the French Revolution; Washington’s appointment of James McHenry as the third Secretary of War; letters of Tobias Lear about Washington’s death and the debate over where to bury him; several books from Jefferson’s library; some key Abraham Lincoln items; and much more. Available on request are our recent catalogues: 275, The Age of Jackson; 276, The Caribbean; 277, The American West in the 19th Century; 278, World Trade: The First Age of Globalization; 279, Pacific Voyages; 281, Americana in PRINTING AND THE MIND OF MAN; and 282, Recent Acquisitions in Americana. Some of our catalogues, as well as some recent topical lists, are now posted on the Internet at www.reeseco.com. A portion of our stock may be viewed via links at www.reeseco.com. If you would like to receive e-mail notification when catalogues and lists are uploaded, please e-mail us at [email protected] or send us a fax, specifying whether you would like to receive the notifications in lieu of or in addition to paper catalogues. Terms Material herein is offered subject to prior sale. All items are as described and are considered to be on approval. Notice of return must be given within ten days unless specific arrangements are made. Connecticut residents must be billed state sales tax. Postage and insurance charges are billed to all nonprepaid domestic orders. Overseas orders are sent by air unless otherwise requested, with full postage charges billed at our discretion. Payment by check, wire transfer or bank draft is preferred, but may also be made by MasterCard or Visa. William Reese Company Phone: (203) 789-8081 409 Temple Street Fax: (203) 865-7653 New Haven, CT 06511 E-mail: [email protected] FRONT COVER: 97. [Lincoln, Abraham]: The Rail Candidate. New York. 1860. REAR COVER: 33. Jefferson, Thomas: [Autograph Letter from Thomas Jefferson]. June 8, 1792. Washington’s Journal: The Extremely Rare First Edition 1. [Moreau, Jacob N., comp.]: [Washington, George]: MÉMOIRE CONTENANT LE PRÉCIS DES FAITS, AVEC LEURS PIECES JUSTIFICATIVES, POUR SERVIR DE RÉPONSE AUX OBSERVATIONS ENVOYÉES PAR LES MINISTRES D’ANGLETERRE, DANS LES COURS DE L’EUROPE. Paris. 1756. vi,198pp. Quarto. Half calf and marbled boards, rebacked with original spine laid down. Extremities rubbed. Minor foxing. Very good. A crucial document in the history of the French and Indian War. The obscure frontier clash between Virginia troops under George Washington and French troops under Lieut. Jumonville was the spark which ignited the international conflict between Great Britain and France. In the initial clash Washington’s forces wounded Jumonville, who was later killed by the Americans’ Indian allies. The French later surrounded Wash- ington at Fort Necessity and forced his surrender. The French seized Washington’s journal of the expedition and Braddock’s instructions to Washington, as well as Braddock’s letters to the British Ministry. These papers were sent to France to support the French claim that Washington murdered Jumonville. This memoir, which includes the first printing of Washington’s journal of 1754, although in translation, indicates that Jumonville was approaching Washington on a peaceful mission, but that Wash- ington distrusted him and ordered the party to be fired upon. The memoir also con- tains a survey of the alleged French rights to the region west of the Alleghenies. Streeter quotes Lawrence Wroth, in his JCB Library Report of 1945-46, as calling this memoir “One of the most important documents in American colonial history.” Extremely rare in this quarto first edition (not to be confused with the later duodecimo reprints). HOWES M787, “c.” WINSOR 5:573. WROTH, AMERICAN BOOKSHELF, pp.22, 40. SABIN 47511 (another ed). TPL 250 (another ed). $12,500. The Earliest Published Print of George Washington 2. [West, Benjamin]: [Washington, George]: BICKERSTAFF’S BOS- TON ALMANACK, FOR THE YEAR OF OUR REDEMP- TION, 1778. BEING THE SECOND YEAR OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE.... Danvers, Ma.: Printed by E. Russell, [1777]. [24]pp. 12mo. Dbd. Lightly foxed, minor soiling. Very good. Revolutionary-era Boston almanac, featuring portraits of generals George Washington and Horatio Gates on the front page – the “first known American print of George Washington” (Wick). Wick notes that it is likely that this image was made when Washington first arrived in Boston in 1775 or early 1776 to take command of the Continental Army. The first known use of this image is on a 1776 Salem printing of the Declaration of Independence. This is its second printed appearance. Due to the scarcity of visual material, it was reused several times, resurfacing again in Bickerstaff almanacs in the 1790s. This almanac also has woodcuts at the top of each calendar, showing a seasonal scene with the appropriate zodiac sign at the top. An early and important image of our first president. DRAKE 3274. EVANS 15705. WICK, GEORGE WASHINGTON AN AMERICAN ICON 1. $3000. 3. Washington, George Augustine: [Washington, George]: [TWO AU- TOGRAPH NOTES, SIGNED BY GEORGE AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON, REQUISITIONING SEVERAL ITEMS FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON’S USE]. [Morristown]. Feb. 12 and Apr. 18, 1780. [2]pp. Old fold lines. First document reinforced with tissue along folds on verso. Second document with minor paper loss, affecting one letter of text. Both lightly soiled. Good. Two brief notes written and signed by Major George Augustine Washington, nephew of General George Washington, ordering sundries for General Washington’s use while encamped at Morristown. Both are addressed to Colonel James Abeel, Deputy Quar- termaster General for Washington’s forces. The first, dated Feb. 12, 1780, reads: “Sir, You will be pleased to furnish a pair of small hand irons for His Excellency’s use.” The second, dated April 18, 1780, reads: “Sir, You will be pleased if you have any wooden bowls to send two by the Bearer each to contain about 1 gallon for His Excellency’s use.” Each note is docketed on the verso in Colonel Abeel’s neat hand. A rare glimpse into the domestic side of life in George Washington’s camp. $1250. Washington’s Plan for Success of the United States 4. [Massachusetts Newspaper]: [Washington, George]: THE CONTI- NENTAL JOURNAL, AND WEEKLY ADVERTISER. No. 387. Boston. July 11, 1783. 4pp. Folio. Old folds. Very minor loss at some folds. Light soiling and wear. Very good. The Continental Journal... was a weekly Boston paper published by John Gill from 1776 to 1785. This issue includes the text of George Washington’s lengthy letter to Gov- ernor John Hancock, relating his resignation from the army and return to private life. In his letter Washington lays out what he thinks the key elements are for the enduring success of the United States, being: 1st. An indissolvable union of the states under one federal head. 2d. A sacred regard to public justice. 3d. The adoption of a proper peace establishment, and, 4th. The prevalence of that pacific and friendly disposition among the people of the United States, which will induce them to forget their local prejudices and policies, to make those mutual concessions which are requisite to the general prosperity, and in some instances, to sacrifice their individual advantages to the interest of the community. Fully half the paper is devoted to this missive. $1500. A Key Treaty Between the United States and an Indian Tribe, Negotiated by Washington Himself 5. Washington, George: BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS A TREATY OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE CREEK NATION, WAS MADE AND CONCLUDED ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE PRESENT MONTH OF AUGUST...[caption title]. [New York: Childs and Swain, 1790]. Broadside, 20½ x 16¼ inches, framed to 29 x 24 inches. Neat repairs at edges and along vertical central fold. Minor losses along central fold, affecting a few letters of text. Very minor soiling. Very good, and elegantly framed. The Thomas W. Streeter copy. A rare broadside printing of the first treaty made by the fledgling United States, de- claring friendship and amity with the Creek Nation, and likely printed for limited distribution among the federal administration. Following the American Revolution the United States was free to turn its attention from the British to other conflicts within its borders. One of these was with the Creek Indian Nation in the South, where hos- tilities had periodically arisen between the Indians and Georgia settlers. Spain, a Creek ally, urged the Indians to negotiate a treaty, lest Spain be pulled into a wider conflict with the United States. This treaty is the result of that negotiation. “The Creeks were friendly with the English through the American Revolution and afterwards in June 1784, entered into the Treaty of Pensacola with the Spaniards. One of the problems to which Washington devoted himself on becoming President was our relations with the Creeks, and after one mission to them had failed, another under Col.