60 Great Books Bauman Rare Books - 14 - A Foundational Work: The Proposed Bill Of Rights, One Of Only 700 Copies Printed For The Government 12. (BILL OF RIGHTS) UNITED STATES SENATE. Journal of the First Session of the Senate of the United States of America. Begun and Held at the City of New-York, March 4th, 1789, and in the Thirteenth Year of the Independence of the Said States. New-York, 1789. Folio, modern paper wrappers with the original title-wrapper laid down, custom clamshell box. $95,000. Exceptionally rare first edition of the official 1789 Journal of the Senate, containing one of the earliest official printings of the proposed Bill of Rights, one of only 700 copies printed for members of government—an uncut copy. This is the first official publication of the Journal of the First Session of the Senate. The Journal covers Senate activities from March 4 to September 29, 1789, when numerous key events took place. Foremost was debate on the proposed Bill of Rights. On pages 103-6 appear the 17 amendments originally proposed by the House. On pages 163-164, the 12 amendments passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification appear under “Proposed Amendments.” Subsequently, the first two (a formula for determining the number of Representatives and a rule about congressional pay) were not ratified and the remaining ten became the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Among the other notable items herein are: President Washington’s first address to Congress, debate on the Judiciary Bill and other legislative “firsts.” The Bill of Rights was issued in two 1789 printings, the present version and in the Acts Passed at a Congress of the United States. Both of these printings of the Bill of Rights are of exceptional rarity. Evans 22207. Grolier American 100 20. Contemporary signature of D.A. White on the title page. Title page mounted, only very light scattered foxing. An extraordinarily important landmark in early U.S. history.
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