The History of the United States for 1796; including a Variety of Interesting Particulars Relative to the Federal Government Previous to That Period

Anonymous (James Thomson Callender), The Press of Snowden & McCorkle, Philadelphia, 1797, First Edition, viii, 312 pp., 8vo

$4,500

This early history of the United States was published anonymously, but the (in)famous pamphleteer James Callender is generally recognized as the author. It was a quite controversial book at the time, since it contained insinuations that Alexander Hamilton had suspicious financial dealings, i.e. possible blackmail payments, with a James Reynolds, as a result of Hamilton’s affair with Reynolds’ wife, Maria.  Hamilton had already admitted to the affair, but he denied any financial improprieties, which would have been much more serious, since Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury at the time.  The accusations were never proven.

This copy is good plus in early ¼ leather on marbled paper-covered boards. The hinges are cracked but still holding well.  It shows a moderate amount of wear on the boards, and there is cracking and chipping in the leather along the spine edges.  It is ex-library from a college that was closed several years ago.  A library ink stamp is at the top of the front pastedown and a small accession number at the top of the ffep.  The ink stamp is also on the rear endpaper and at the bottom of the title page.  There is residue from what likely was a card pocket on the rear pastedown.

The pages are age darkened, with light scattered foxing.  The pages were cut open quite unevenly and are untrimmed, but there does not appear to be any loss to the text. 

It is a book very important in early American history, but it is quite scarce in the market.  I can find no other copies currently available anywhere, and the last auction sale in 2023 was for $8,750.

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