The American Commonwealth.

BRYCE, James. [William Safire].

Item Number: 128554

London: Macmillan and Co., 1888.

First edition of “the most authoritative study of American social and political institutions”(Howes B906), with the chapter in Vol. III on the Tweed Ring, later suppressed. Octavo, three volumes bound in full morocco with elaborate gilt tooling to the spines in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, ribbons bound in, folding map to Vol. I. With an autograph letter signed by and entirely in the hand of James Bryce with the embossed stamp of the House of Commons dated July 18, 1893. From the library of William Safire with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. William Safire was an important American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He joined Nixon’s campaign for the 1960 Presidential race, and again in 1968. After Nixon’s 1968 victory, Safire served as a speechwriter for him and Spiro Agnew. He authored several political columns in addition to his weekly column “On Language” in The New York Times Magazine from 1979 until the month of his death and authored two books on grammar and linguistics: The New Language of Politics (1968) and what Zimmer called Safire’s “magnum opus,” Safire’s Political Dictionary. Safire later served as a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board from 1995 to 2004 and in 2006 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. In near fine condition. Desirable with noted provenance.

"Bryce was an ardent Liberal in politics and in 1880 he was elected to parliament... In 1907 he was appointed British ambassador at Washington... His great work The American Commonwealth was the first in which the institutions of the United States had been thoroughly discussed from the point of view of a historian and a constitutional lawyer, and it at once became a classic (Britannica). Includes critical review and an examination of social institutions, the federal and state governments, and party systems. The first edition includes a chapter on "the Tweed Ring" suppressed in later editions.