Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.
"THE FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN HISTORY": Rare early printing of the Acts Passed at the First and second Congress of the United States of America
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165636/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=1250%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165637/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=595%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165638/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=602%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165639/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=583%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165640/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=1889%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165641/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=630%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
![Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.](https://i0.wp.com/www.raptisrarebooks.com/images/165642/acts-passed-at-the-first-congress-of-the-united-states-of-america-fine-binding.jpg?fit=1432%2C1000&ssl=1 "Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.")
Acts Passed at the First Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the Fourth of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Nine, and of the Independence of the United States the Thirteenth. [WITH] Acts Passed at the Second Congress of the United States of America: Begun and Held in the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the Twenty-Fourth of October, On Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One: And of the Independence of the United States the Sixteenth.
Item Number: 137354
Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Childs, 1795.
Rare early printings of the first official publications of the acts of the first and second Congress, including the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Octavo, two volumes bound in half morocco over marbled boards with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt. The Acts were published at the end of each session by Childs & Swaine, in an edition of only 600 copies for internal distribution and contain the acts establishing the Executive Department, the Treasury Department, the Post Office, the judicial courts, the War Department, and other articles establishing compensation for the President, Vice President, and members of Congress. Acts Passed at the First Congress also contains the first 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution, drafted by James Madison. In near fine condition. A very nice example.
On May 28, 1789, in the first month of the United States government, Congress passed a resolution directing the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House to secure the printing contracts for “600 copies of the Acts of each session... to be distributed to the members and to the executive, judiciary, and heads of the departments of the United States government, as well as the executive, legislative and judicial branches of every state. This would practically exhaust the 600 copies... in official distribution, and leave none for public purchase...” (Powell, The Books of a New Nation, 85). This undated printing was issued in New York in 1789 after the nation’s capital was moved to Philadelphia and Childs and Swain began preparing government printings there as well. “The bound volumes of the Acts of Congress, issued at the end of each session by Childs & Swaine were sometimes reprinted... in the first few years of the new government. But soon the appeal of them to commercial printers ceased... Bound Acts came to be very hard to get. They were always in short supply. Six hundred copies barely covered the official distribution, left few for the general public, few for the Congressmen themselves... Senators could never find copies of the printings for their own use, neither could cabinet officers nor lesser departmental officials. When he set up office in Philadelphia the clerk of the State Department had only one single copy of the Acts for 1790” (Powell, 92).
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