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In Boston Massacre's Aftermath, "all the inhabitants shall be deprived of their fire arms...."

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:600.00 USD Estimated At:1,200.00 - 1,600.00 USD
In Boston Massacre's Aftermath,  all the inhabitants shall be deprived of their fire arms....
Excessively rare issue of The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, July 2, 1770, with crisp impression of Paul Revere's first newspaper masthead design. 9 3/4 x 15 1/2, 4 pp. Showing seated Britannia freeing a dove of peace from its cage (Brigham plate 67). The Boston Massacre of March 5 still fresh, reporting news from a London newspaper nearly two months on the seas: "It is asserted that the parliamentary enquiry into the late disturbances at Boston in New-England, must be suspended till the arrival of some papers...We are informed that Gov. Bernard will embark for his government of Massachusetts-Bay on board of one of the men of war appointed to convey four Regiments to North-America...We are assured...with regard to the present state of affairs in America, very coercive means were advised, and adopted, and are now preparing to be employed. The future resources of the Bostonians, by calling in the people from the neighboring towns to assist them in their late adopted measures, is we hear, to be prevented, by cutting off the communications of the town and country by a fort...In case any further violence shall have been committed at Boston, before the arrival of the fresh troops, that all the inhabitants shall be deprived of their fire arms...We cannot give our Readers any thing that can be dependent on as to the Article of the Duty on Tea...." Proclamation of the King's Commander-in-Chief of Massachusetts-Bay, referring to threat to "fire" the shop and tar the body of a Marlborough, Mass. storekeeper in retribution for importing goods. "Such Practices are an open and flagrant Violation of the Laws...and if not seasonably suppressed will tend to subvert all Civil Order and Government, and to bring a general Ruin and Desolation on his Majesty's Subjects...." Lengthy letter from "A Fox Hunter": "This doctrine, that taxation and representation upon the true principles of government must go together, is so well calculated to capture the multitude in this country, and so flattering to the Americans, as it intirely abrogates the authority of parliament to tax the colonies...," yet claiming that the idea of no taxation without representation is actually alien to America, citing forty townships now taxed, which have no distinct representatives. "The argumentative use made of this wonderful American discovery of taxation without representation, falls to the ground." Front-page Message to Lt. Governor: "...With regard to the clause of the Charter that relates to the Governor's power over the Militia, and the Inhabitants of the Province in general, it is so far from giving him an uncontrollable military power, that the power is limited...." Gov. Hutchinson responds, "Although... Powers may be necessary for a Colony different from those of a Corporation in England, yet it by no means follows that the Crown is excluded from its Right of Control in the exercise of those Powers... Your observation upon the Power vested in the Judges does not prove a distinction between the Civil and Military, but between the judiciary and ministerial Power...." Intriguing, cryptic filler, "The Cabal (like the Jews) are almost out of patience in waiting for the great things that are to be done for them...." Advertisements include "Auction of Books...Lovers and real Practisers of Patriotism are requested to observe that all the Books in the Catalogue are either American Manufacture, or imported long before the Non-Importation Agreement," "Buried in the Town of Boston since our last, Five Whites, One Black...," "Rich sprig'd Sattin, purple, pink and crimson...," "Lisbon Lemmons and a few Casks of Olive Oyl," runaway "Negro Fellow called Boston...Brass Buckles in his Shoes," runaway "Negro Wench named Philis," and runway "Negro Man named Prince...his Jaw Bone broke, it is an obstruction to him in Eating...." Two leaves rejoined with tape, tape reinforcements on two horizontal folds, fold wear affecting one line each in several columns, blank right margin tattered, some waterstains, else satisfactory with pleasing toning, the masthead a very good example, and suitable for display. This newspaper was called the "voice of resistance and mouthpiece of the Revolution"--dissertation by Sandra Moore, University of Houston, 2005. Notwithstanding the simmering content, newspapers with Paul Revere's illustrations are now scarce on the market. Of the eight Revere "newspaper and periodical cuts in lead" recorded by the American Antiquarian Society, this design, dated c. 1769, was his first (and evidently the first state -- a later appearance of this first design shows subtle differences). The Library of Congress' Chronicling America database locates only one possible example of this issue (within a run at Yale with "scattered issues missing").