Description:

Washington George 1732 - 1799

">A rare, early Massachusetts Printing of Washington's celebrated farewell address.

The complete text of Washington's farewell address as President as printed in Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Together with the Messages, &c of His Excellency the Governor, to the said Court: Begun and held at Boston, in the County of Suffolk, on Wednesday, the seventh Day of November, Anno Domini, 1796. (Boston: Young & Minns, Printers to the State, [1796]), [1]-8, 33-44 pp., 4to., string bound in blue paper wraps and titled in manuscript: "Resolves Novr 1796" Light dampstains and foxing, margins ragged, some very minor ink erosion through to front wrap and some tears and chips to front and back wraps, else very good.

Washington's farewell comprises the first nine pages prefixed to the periodic official publication of the Resolves of the Massachusetts legislature, headed "President Washington's Address to the People of the United States..." One of the more elaborate of an extensive series of printings under a variety of titles, issued by different printers in different localities the year of Washington's celebrated political testament, in the drafting of which Alexander Hamilton had played an important role. In this, "the most important public message of Washington's life" (Richard Norton Smith, Patriarch, 278), he spelled out his reasons for declining a third term as President, presented his reflections on the need for a strong Federal union and warned against "permanent alliances" overseas and the pitfalls of divisive partisan politics at home.

Rare. Evans 30766; Howes W 143. Evans records only four copies in institutions, and this is the only copy we have seen appear at auction in the past fifty years.

Provenance: Christie's, New York, May 24, 2002, Lot 88, $2,390; The Estate of Charles E. Sigety.

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