Description
First edition, House issue of Message from the President of the United States, containing the first published account of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Octavo, 171, [7] pp. Full black leather, double gilt-ruled border on covers. Title stamped in gilt on spine and front cover, raised bands with gilt-ruled compartments. Decorative gilt turn-ins and gilt-ruled board edges. Bound by MacDonald of New York, with stamp on rear turn-in. Board edges, spine and joints rubbed. Slight bow to front cover. Front endpapers cracked, but binding solid. Occasional foxing to text pages. Bottom edge of text block unevenly trimmed, a few pages cut close to text but readable. Pencil notations on title page and page 3. Contains full folding table between pages 30/31 with light toning and three small closed tears. Upper portion of folding table between pages 34/35 is missing. As usual, this copy lacks the map which is only found in some copies. Contemporary owner’s name in ink on title page.
(Howes L 319) (Sabin 40824) (Wagner-Camp 5) A nice example of this important work on the early exploration of the Louisiana Purchase territory.
The House and the Senate separately issued printings of Jefferson’s message to Congress regarding the Lewis and Clark expedition. Both issues have the same title and imprint, with one exception: The House issue has the phrase “Read, and ordered to lie on the table” printed on the title page, whereas the Senate issue has “Printed by order of the Senate” on the title page. This copy is a House-issued printing.
