• 1 • 01(JEFFERSON, Thomas and DICKINSON, John). The Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North America... Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms. London, 1775. Octavo, 19thcentury three-quarter diced brown morocco. $15,000 First London edition, early issue of one of the greatest state papers of the American Revolution and the most important forerunner to the Declaration of Independence. Before issuing the Declaration of Independence, “Congress had produced some fifteen other state papers ... but it had issued only one other ‘declaration’ as a formal precedent for the Declaration of Independence: the ‘Declaration… [on] Taking Up Arms” of July 6, 1775… Like the Declaration of Independence, the ‘Declaration… [on] Taking up Arms’ marked a decisive turning point in the struggle between Britain and its American colonies: in this case, the move by the colonists to formal armed conflict” (Armitage, The Declaration of Independence: A Global History, 31-32). Within a month of the battles of Lexington and Concord, the second Continental Congress met in May 1775. John Hancock was chosen president, and George Washington was chosen as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The majority of the delegates were unsure about what should be done about the ongoing crisis, and while some thought reconciliation with Britain was still possible, others strongly believed that war was inevitable. On July 5, Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition, in which they appealed to their king to hear their grievances in order to avoid more bloodshed—but the next day, on July 6, Congress issued one of its most important documents, their Declaration… [on] the causes and necessity of their taking up Arms, written by Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson. It is a strong statement of grievances against Britain (including taxation without representation, interference with commerce, and violation of their rights to trial by jury) as well as a plea for peace and reconciliation. Its purpose was to justify before the world their armed resistance to the British Parliament’s attempt to enforce an absolute authority over the colonies: “Our Cause is just: our Union is perfect: our internal resources are great… the Arms we have been compelled by our Enemies to assume, we will... employ for the Preservation of our Liberties, being with one Mind resolved, to die Freemen rather than to live Slaves.” The Declaration was issued by Congress on July 6, 1775, and there were contemporary newspaper, pamphlet, and broadside printings, all of which are very rare. Printed in the same year as the London first, with textual corrections from that issue; lacking the “Prefatory Address from the London Association to the Public.” ESTC T121380. Contents with minor spotting and toning with tiny area of worming in lower outer portions, touching a few letters; front inner hinge expertly reinforced, minor rubbing to binding. “OUR CAUSE IS JUST: OUR UNION IS PERFECT… BEING WITH ONE MIND RESOLVED TO DIE FREEMEN, RATHER THAN TO LIVE SLAVES”: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS OF THE REVOLUTION
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