[SAMMELBAND OF TWENTY-FIVE REVOLUTIONARY-ERA MASSACHUSETTS LAWS AND THE FOLIO PRINTING OF THE 1780 MASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTION]

[Massachusetts Laws]

Verlag: Benjamin Edes, Watertown or Boston, 1783

Various paginations, as described below. Folio. Contemporary reverse calf, covers and spine tooled in blind. Spine lacking, leather detached from front board, leather nearly detached from rear board, boards still attached, cords intact. Front and rear endpapers loose from boards. Dampstains, stains, light foxing throughout. Some top edges and foredges closely trimmed with occasional loss of text; occasional leaves loose; occasional tears, some with loss of text. Third title lacks seven pages, tenth title lacks final leaf (see below for additional information for specific titles). Several ownership inscriptions of Joseph Allen of Worcester, Massachusetts. Near good condition. In a cloth clamshell case, leather label. A sammelband of Revolutionary-era Massachusetts acts and laws published by Benjamin Edes and various associates between 1775 and 1783. The collection of documents is of particular interest for a number of legislative actions directly related to the Revolutionary War, such as maritime defense, the creation of militias, the buildup of troops, and various issues regarding treason, deserters, and Tories. The first three documents, printed in Watertown, New England "under the reign of George the Third, King," includes acts regarding the development of the colony's defense. Chapter I of the second title is "an act for encouraging the fixing out of armed vessels to defend the sea coast of America, and for erecting a court to try and condemn all vessels that shall be found infesting the same." Chapter I of the third title is "an act for forming and regulating the militia within the colony of Massachusetts Bay," and Chapter XIII from the same session is "an act for raising and forming a regiment or troop.out of the several regiments of foot in the county of Worcester." (Similar acts for other towns are to be found recorded elsewhere in the volume.) While the first and second of these Watertown imprints are recorded in a dozen institutions each, the third title is located only at the Pennsylvania Historical Society, and all three are extremely uncommon in the market. Numerous additional acts related to the war are found in the acts and laws "of the state of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England," printed after the Declaration of Independence. Chapter XXI of the fourth title, printed in 1777, includes an extensive act "for providing a reinforcement to the American Army." Legislation regarding treason is also thoroughly documented. Chapter XXXII is a lengthy act "against treason.and regulating trials in such cases, and for directing the mode of executing judgments against persons attainted of felony." In a related matter, Chapter XIII in the eighth title, printed in 1778, is an act "to prevent the return to this state of certain persons therein named, and others, who have left this state, or either of the United States, and joined the enemies thereof." The latter consists of three pages of names of Tories prohibited from returning to the state. This volume belonged to Joseph Allen (1749- 1827), a nephew of Samuel Adams who moved to Worcester in 1776 and was a member of the Massachusetts State constitutional convention in 1788. His signature and additional manuscript annotations are found on the rear free endpaper as well as on individual titles published between 1779 and 1782. This set of documents, bound after Adams collected them individually over a number of years, are as follows: 1) IN THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD, KING, &c. ACTS AND LAWS.BEGUN AND HELD AT WATERTOWN.THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JULY.1775. Watertown, New England: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council and Honorable House of Representatives, 1775. pp.1-7. Leaves loose, upper right corner torn with slight loss of text. EVANS 14202. 2) IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD, KING, &c. ACTS AND LAWS.BEGUN AND HELD AT WATERTOWN.THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JULY.1775.AND THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO.THE TWENTIETH. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers WRCAM35571

Bibliografische Details

Titel: [SAMMELBAND OF TWENTY-FIVE REVOLUTIONARY-ERA...
Verlag: Benjamin Edes, Watertown or Boston
Erscheinungsdatum: 1783