United States Constitution. RatificationThe Address and Reasons of Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania, to their Constituents [caption title]. [Boston: E.E. Powers, 1787] 12mo (184 x 114 mm). With terminal ad leaf from by a Boston bookseller; browned. Disbound, quire C nearly detached. Brick cloth chemise and slipcase, black morocco spine lettered gilt. An interesting presentation of the views of the minority (Anti-Federalist) members of the Pennsylvania delegation to the Federal Constitutional Convention. They objected to the fact that during the Convention, held in secret sessions, they were denied the right to offer amendments to the provisions of the Constitution there adopted. "The delegates to the constitutional convention had been tasked only with 'revising and amending' the Articles of Confederation. But, fully intending to exceed their mandate, the delegates had adopted a rule of secrecy more befitting a papal conclave than a gathering of honorable republican statesmen. They had crafted a national government designed 'to annihilate the state governments, and swallow them up in the grand vortex of general empire'" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 75) Their report contains fourteen "propositions to the Convention" regarding amendments they favored, which have some similarities to the Bill of Rights. "Elaborating on the most common and effective critique, the Pennsylvania addressers noted that the Constitution lacked a bill of rights that guaranteed individual liberties and the integrity of the states. Most state constitutions contained a bill of rights, and the baffling absence of one in the United States Constitution left many Americans concerned that they would have no protection against a federal government whose powers came with few clear limitations and whose very structure, Antifederalists believed, would place unreliable men in positions of authority" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 75). Rare, RBH records only one copy sold at auction by Anderson Galleries in 1920 and ESTC locates five copies in American institutions. Evans gives the place of printing as Philadelphia, but the only copy he locates does not have the advertisement leaf C4 at the end, on which appears a notice of another pamphlet on the Constitution. ESTC ascribed it to the Boston publisher E. E. Powers on the strength of his advertisement ("JUST PUBLISHED … And to be had of Edward E. Powars, in Court-Street, boston …"). REFERENCE:Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, 12; ESTC W36276; Evans 20619; Sabin 59829; not in Ford's Pamphlets on the Constitution PROVENANCE:Malachi Maynard (inscription on C4v)
United States Constitution. RatificationThe Address and Reasons of Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania, to their Constituents [caption title]. [Boston: E.E. Powers, 1787] 12mo (184 x 114 mm). With terminal ad leaf from by a Boston bookseller; browned. Disbound, quire C nearly detached. Brick cloth chemise and slipcase, black morocco spine lettered gilt. An interesting presentation of the views of the minority (Anti-Federalist) members of the Pennsylvania delegation to the Federal Constitutional Convention. They objected to the fact that during the Convention, held in secret sessions, they were denied the right to offer amendments to the provisions of the Constitution there adopted. "The delegates to the constitutional convention had been tasked only with 'revising and amending' the Articles of Confederation. But, fully intending to exceed their mandate, the delegates had adopted a rule of secrecy more befitting a papal conclave than a gathering of honorable republican statesmen. They had crafted a national government designed 'to annihilate the state governments, and swallow them up in the grand vortex of general empire'" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 75) Their report contains fourteen "propositions to the Convention" regarding amendments they favored, which have some similarities to the Bill of Rights. "Elaborating on the most common and effective critique, the Pennsylvania addressers noted that the Constitution lacked a bill of rights that guaranteed individual liberties and the integrity of the states. Most state constitutions contained a bill of rights, and the baffling absence of one in the United States Constitution left many Americans concerned that they would have no protection against a federal government whose powers came with few clear limitations and whose very structure, Antifederalists believed, would place unreliable men in positions of authority" (Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 75). Rare, RBH records only one copy sold at auction by Anderson Galleries in 1920 and ESTC locates five copies in American institutions. Evans gives the place of printing as Philadelphia, but the only copy he locates does not have the advertisement leaf C4 at the end, on which appears a notice of another pamphlet on the Constitution. ESTC ascribed it to the Boston publisher E. E. Powers on the strength of his advertisement ("JUST PUBLISHED … And to be had of Edward E. Powars, in Court-Street, boston …"). REFERENCE:Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, 12; ESTC W36276; Evans 20619; Sabin 59829; not in Ford's Pamphlets on the Constitution PROVENANCE:Malachi Maynard (inscription on C4v)
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
