Constitutions des treize États-Unis de l'Amérique. Nouvelle édition.
A Paris: [s.n.], 1792. Second, revised edition. In two volumes. In original blue wrappers with white title vignette on spine. [4], (5), 6-323, (1) p.; (5), 6-317, (1) p. Small damage to the spine at the tail of both volumes. Title vignettes yellowed, worn. Untrimmed. Partly unopened. Wormholes on the upper edge of most leaves of the first two quires of the first volume. Light foxing throughout in both volumes, more intense on the first 18 leaves of the first. Pages slightly yellowed and dusted at the extremities. A few pages dog-eared. Page 76 and 228 of volume two misnumbered. Complete. Overall both volumes are clean and firm, in fine condition.
First appearance of the French translation of the 1787 Federal Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, published in the scarce, second edition of the constitutions of the thirteen states.
The original French edition of the state constitutions was made at the instigation of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) and was published in 1783 in the translation of the French nobleman Louis Alexandre de La Rochefoucauld d'Enville (1743–1792), including over fifty footnote annotations by Franklin. Besides The Constitutions of the several independent states of America, it also includes the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation between the said states, the treaties of amity and commerce, and of alliance, between the U.S. and France as well as the treaties of amity and commerce concluded with Sweden and the Netherlands, between 1768 and 1783.
This 1792 edition is important for including for the first time the text of the Federal Constitution, as well as the Bill of Rights, using the twelve amendments proposed to the First Congress, only ten of which were passed. It is also significant as it was published during the French Revolution, and was probably created to aid the French revolutionaries drafting their own constitution.
Howes C-716. Sabin 16120. Cohen 3033 (note).
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Price: €4,500.00