A message of the President of the United States to Congress, transmitting a report of the Secretary of State upon the several complaints which have been lodged, against the vexations and spoliations on the commerce of the United States, since the commencement of the European war. Published by order of the House of Representatives. by Randolph, Edmund - 1794

Philadelphia: Francis Childs and John Swaine, 1794. Soft Cover. Poor binding. Octavo. 15, [1] pp. As issued, stitched in plain wrappers. A rough copy with the front wrapper lost; title page is generally soiled and quite worn with several lengthy closed tears intruding into the printed areas; margins are generally ragged with occasional small loss; original stitching is failing; all margins are quite ragged, though; not a beautiful copy, but complete. Consists of three letters by Thomas Pinckney regarding affairs in Europe dated 26 December 1793 to 9 January 1794; "Instructions to the Commanders of our Ships of war and Privateers that have or may have letters of marque against France"; a 29 March 1794 letter in French (followed by English translation) from Joseph Fauchet; and finally Edmund Randolph's response dated 3 April 1794. Washington's letter of transmittal on the verso of the title page. Evans 27916.

Philadelphia: Francis Childs & John Swaine, 1794. Unbound. Good binding. Octavo. 8 pp. Removed from nonce volume with a single notch on the spine to suggest its removal; pages uncut and untrimmed. Original stitching holes are visible in the inner margin; small separation starting at the bottom of the spine-fold; small chip to the bottom of the first leaf at the margin; a few pencil notations to the title page; first and last page are a bit soiled, but generally a clean copy. Report of Secretary of State Edmund Randolph enumerating the ways in which European privateers hinder American commerce. Washington's transmittal is on the verso of the title page. Evans 27917; ESTC W26164,

Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine, 1794. 8pp. Dbd. Contemporary ownership signature on titlepage and manuscript notes on final leaf. Very good. 8pp. Dbd. American Commerce Victim to the French Revolutionary Wars. This copy bears the ownership signature of noted New York jurist and legal scholar James Kent, who ran for Congress from New York in 1793, but was defeated by his brother-in-law, Theodorus Bailey. He would go on to a distinguished career as a judge on the Chancery court and as an author of legal commentaries. At the conclusion of the text is a manuscript note: "Mr. Wadsworth stated in the House of Representatives the 19th May, 1794, that within the last six months American vessels & property had been captured by the British Privateer in the W. Indies to the extent of one million of dollars - & that other nations had seized American property to ½ mil. dol. & that the total loss to our commerce was 1½ mil. dol." In this report to President Washington the new Secretary… Read More