Item Details

Journal of Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of Delegates, Chosen to Revise the Constitution of Massachusetts, Begun and Holden at Boston, November 15, 1820, and Continued By Adjournment to January 9, 1821. Reported for the Boston Daily Advertiser. [Seperation: Massachusetts loses Maine].

Boston: Daily Advertiser, 1821. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Bears the ownership mark of noted Mass. Judge Daniel Coney (1752-1842). "This report of the proceeding and debated in the Convention, was made for the Boston Daily Advertiser by the editor of that paper, who was a member of the Convention, assisted by a gentleman of the bar, to whom a seat was assigned by the President. The principal design was to furnish the public, from day to day, with an account of the proceedings, through that paper; and to this design the report was necessarily made to conform. For a great part of the session, the proceedings of each day were published in the morning paper of the following day; the reporters were in consequence obligated to prepare their reports in the greatest haste, and incases in which the sittings continued to a great length of time, and especially when two sittings were held on the same day and protracted to a late hour in the evening, it has become necessary, as well on account of he short interval for transcribing, as from regard to the capacity of the paper, to abridge the debate to a greater degree than they would otherwise have done. Many of the reported speeches are to be considered rather as abridgments, than as full reports those of which were delivered. It was, in general, the object of the reporters, to give the whole argument in substance, without being scrupulously careful to adhere to the language of the several speakers. In this design, however, they may occasionally have failed; sometimes from not hearing distinctly- sometimes, perhaps, from not fully understanding the scope of the argument, and sometimes from not being able, through fatigue, to give proper attention. For these reasons, it will not be supposed, that complete justice is done to the different speakers, in point of elegance and propriety of expression, of that the same degree of justice is done to each, in regard to fullness and accuracy; but the reporters have endeavoured, according to the best of their ability, to give as full and accurate a report of the debates as circumstances would admit." (from the "Advertisement" following the titlepage). A handsome copy, rather uncommon in original boards. Drafted primarily by John Adams and enacted in 1780, the Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest written constitution that is still in use. The convention held in 1820-21 resulted in amendments that dramatically expanded white male suffrage and embodied the Acts of Seperation leading to Maine's statehood. Generally uncommon, quite scarce in original boards. Very Good. No DJ as Issued. Light shelf/edge wear, ownership signature at title page, minor chipping at head and tail, spine evening loned, light spotting/foxing to blue paper boards, light foxing/toning at preliminaries, minor sporadic foxing throughout, else tight, bright and unmarred. Quarterbound, beige paper spine, blue paper boards, blue paper spine label, black ink lettering. 8vo. 292pp. Index. Item #6298

Price: $145.00