Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - December - 2006 Issue
America 1800-1815 from William Reese Co.
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An Exposition of the Causes and Character of the Late War with Great Britain was actually written while the war was going on. Attributed to Treasury Secretary Alexander Dallas, much of it was written with the assistance of James Madison, who was President during the war. After peace was achieved, Madison considered changing or suppressing the work, but after Thomas Jefferson's encouragement, went ahead with publication. Item 30 is the first edition, published in Philadelphia in April 1815. $750.
Item 159 announced to America the peace which ended the War of 1812. Headed Peace With England, it is an issue of The Freeman's Journal – Extraordinary (of Philadelphia). Dated February 12, 1815, it was just the second announcement in America, following an almost identical notice published the previous day in New York. Of course, this was not published the day the war ended. The peace treaty had been signed way back on December 24, 1814. However, communications were slow in those days, it taking that long for a messenger to make the journey to America with the notification of peace. Meantime, the war's most famous battle, the Battle of New Orleans, would go forward as neither side on the battlefield knew the war was over. $8,500.
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