A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, as Agreed upon by the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787. In Two Volumes. New-York: Printed and Sold by J. and A. M’Lean, 1788.
ESTIMATE: $150,000 - $200,000

One of the most important and significant treatises on the philosophy of government ever published was a series of 85 articles, originally written between October 1787 and August 1788 by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton under the nom de plume “Publius,” eventually collected and printed in book form as The Federalist. These articles, which primarily appeared in several New York newspapers, were written both to encourage adoption of the United States Constitution, and to influence future interpretations of that signally important document.

“The importance of The Federalist cannot be overstated,” said James Gannon, Director of Rare Book Auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. “These three men, and others like them, were in the process of creating an entirely new system of government, one that had never before been seen in all of human history, and these well-written and incisive articles give us a clear idea of their thoughts and intentions, even though they were meant at the time more as political propaganda than as pure philosophy. This is a keystone work that is absolutely essential for anyone wanting to truly understand the foundation of our government.”

“The adoption of the Constitution was far from a sure thing in 1787,” Gannon said. “Anti-Federalists were staunchly opposed to the document, as they felt that it gave the Federal government too much power at the expense of the individual states. Madison, Jay, and Hamilton wrote their essays to counter those arguments, and to advocate adoption and ratification. Obviously, their efforts were eminently successful.”

“A first edition of this important work would command great attention under any circumstances,” Gannon said, “but this particular copy has a fascinating association, as well. It was owned by Major Roger Alden, not only a descendant of noted Mayflower passenger John Alden, but also a soldier in the Revolutionary War, Deputy Secretary of the Continental Congress, Chief Clerk to the Domestic Arm of the State Department, and later Ordnance Storekeeper and Postmaster at West Point. He was an important figure in the early days of the United States, closely associated with the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, Nathan Hale, and even Benedict Arnold, whom Alden served under during the 1775 expedition to Quebec, before Arnold’s famous defection to the British. The association with Alden and the original bindings and untrimmed pages bearing his name and the date of publication makes this copy of The Federalist even more desirable due to its important position in early American history.”

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Posted: 02|29|08 at 4:46 pm. Filed under: US News.