Description:

Thomas Paine
Philadelphia, PA, ca. 1791
Thomas Paine, Rights of Man "Common Sense", 1791 Second Edition Pamphlet
Book

1791 second edition of Thomas Paine's "Rights of Man: Being an answer to Mr. Burkes Attack on the French Revolution". Re-printed by Samuel Harrison Smith. 105pp. 5" x 8". Date and edition to lower cover. Bold ink ownership signature reading "William Hull" on top right cover. Light visible stitch binding to spine. Light scattered foxing, mild toning. Creases and light tears to lower edges of pages. Losses to top right corners of first few pages. Scattered staining to cover. Else good.

Thomas Paine (1737–1809) was a British-born political writer who emigrated to America in 1774. He became one of the most influential pamphleteers of the American Revolution, authoring works such as "Common Sense", "The American Crisis pamphlets", "Rights of Man", and "The Age of Reason". Published anonymously on January 10, 1776, in Philadelphia by Robert Bell, with the title "Common Sense" approximately 120,000 copies were sold in its first three months, reaching about 20% of the colonial population, making it possibly the best-selling work relative to population in American history. The second edition "Rights of Man" was where Paine drew his distinctions between Enlightenment ideas of the natural rights of humans and civil rights, Society and government and promoted a representative democracy and radical social reforms.

William Hull (1753-1825) was an American politician and military officer. Appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as the first Governor of Michigan in 1805, Hull was put in charge of purchasing land from the Natives who at the time resided in all but two territories. During the war in 1812, while acting as General, Hull surrendered fort Detroit to the British military. After the siege, he was paroled by the enemy and returned east, but court-martialed, convicted, and sentenced to death in a military court trial by the United States Army and the U.S. War Department but later received a pardon from fourth President James Madison. His military career would eventually recover, with him being assigned several commands before the 1815 Treaty of Ghent.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5" x 8"
  • Medium: Book

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