“FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO…”: EARLY 1864 PRINTING OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS,THE FIRST TYPESET FROM AN ACTUAL LINCOLN MANUSCRIPT

EVERETT, Edward. Address of Hon. Edward Everett, at the Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, 19th November, 1863, with the Dedicatory Speech of President Lincoln. Boston: Little, Brown, 1864. Slim octavo, original dark brown cloth. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

Scarce and early 1864 printing of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, “one of the supreme utterances of the principles of democratic freedom” (PMM), apparently the first to be typeset from an original Lincoln manuscript (rather than a published newspaper account).

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, a few short lines scrawled, according to tradition, on scratch-paper and the backs of envelopes, is one of the most cherished documents in the history of the United States. On November 19, 1863, Lincoln arose after Edward Everett's two-hour dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg and "delivered the 'few appropriate remarks' requested of him, and in ten sentences did unforgettable justice to the thousands of young Americans who had struggled with incredible bravery" (Bruce Catton). This version of Lincoln's address (which appears on page [84]) was apparently typeset from an original Lincoln manuscript (probably a fair copy by Lincoln, but perhaps even the so-called "delivery text"), which supposedly was given to David Wills, impresario of the ceremonies, for the cemetery archives—but which was later sent by Wills to Everett, who was preparing a publication of the day's speeches. Everett had asked Wills "if you would furnish me with whatever you would wish to include in the pamphlet." This request presumably included the Lincoln manuscript. Wills sent several other pertinent documents, among them the opening Prayer by Rev. Dr. Stockton, French's Hymn, the Percival and Delaney Dirge, the Benediction by Rev. H.L. Baugher, and a sheaf of letters regarding invitations and preparations for the ceremony. On January 30, 1864 Lincoln received a copy of the Everett publication (the edition offered here), which Everett acknowledged as "the authorized edition" of the two men's speeches (see Wills, 197). Lincoln's address, typeset from a newspaper reporter's transcription rather than an original manuscript, was first published as a pamphlet with Everett's speech on November 22, 1863 by the Washington Chronicle Office (only two copies are known to exist), and then in book form by Baker and Godwin later that year (also extremely rare). This early printing precedes the final version, an "autographic" version written out by Lincoln himself and published in lithographic facsimile in Autograph Leaves of our Country's Authors (Baltimore, 1864). Bound in are a folding map of the grounds of the cemetery and the frontispiece map of the Gettysburg Battlefield & Hospitals. With errata slip. Monaghan 194. Howes E232. Sabin 1467. See also Sabin 23263; Streeter 1747. Gift inscription from Gettysburg, dated 1900.

Interior fine. Expert restoration to original cloth. A very good copy.