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Beginning with the First Act of the First Session of the First Congress.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:475.00 USD Estimated At:950.00 - 1,450.00 USD
Beginning with the First Act of the First Session of the First Congress.
Significant work, The Laws of the United States of America. In three volumes. Philadelphia: Richard Folwell, 1796. A comprehensive chronicle of laws of the new America, commencing with printing of Constitution, large ornate eagle woodcut, signed-in-type by "George Washington, Pres. and Delegate from Va.," with names of all other delegates, and final resolutions of Constitutional Convention. Followed by all "Acts Passed at the First Session of the First Congress...begun and held at the City of New-York...fourth of Mar., ...1789...," through Second Session of Fourth Congress, the early Acts signed-in-type by Washington and John Adams, Vice-Pres. and Pres. of Senate. Original full calf (repairs noted below), 4 1/2 x 7 3/4, 494, 576, and (478) pp., respectively, the latter plus an exhaustive unpaginated Index, attributed to Zephaniah Swift. The full, contemporary text of laws, subjects including Aliens, Appropriations, Bank of the U.S., Coasting Trade, Copy-Right, Crimes, Debt of the U.S., Drawbacks, Duties, Fisheries, Seat of Government established, Relief in cases of imprisonment for Debt, Intercourse with foreign Nations, Intercourse with Indian Nations, Judiciary of the U.S., Legislature of the U.S., Military Establishment, Mint, Navy, Patents, Post-Office and Post-Roads, President of the U.S., Registry and Recording of Vessels, Seamen, Depts. of State, Treasury, and War, and Western Lands. Treaties, some with facing pages in French and Dutch; "Armistice Declaring A Cessation of Hostilities between the U.S. and Great Britain"; "...Treaty between the U.S...and the Sachems and Warriors of the Six Nations"; "Treaty of Amity and Commerce between His Majesty the King of Prussia and the U.S..."; treaties with "...the Head-Men and Warriors of the Cherokees" ("They shall also restore all the Negroes..."), Choctaw, Chickasaw, Shawanoe, Creek, and Delaware Nations, Emperor of Morocco, King of Spain, et al; Convention with His Most Christian Majesty 'France]. Also with printings of Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, Northwest Territory Ordinance, and more. Volumes showing considerable shelf wear and use, scuffing, most tips rounded, foxing varying from absent to light to tortoise-shell. Vol. I: red spine label intact, wear at outer hinges, light mousechew at rear, else internally fine and clean. Vol. II: boards once detached, old repair with strips of brown linen, this glue now dry, title page reattached with old strip of white muslin, covering "U" of "United," upper right portion of title page lacking, internally lightly foxed to fresh in places. Vol. III: inverted geometric cross scribed on cover, spine and hinges recovered in old brown linen, a window made for spine label, title page reattached with old strip of white muslin, two edge fragments of title page lacking, but affecting one letter only; most of text fresh, notwithstanding use (interesting provenance). Evans 31356, 32973. Rare on the market, and core Americana. (3 vols.)