CATALOG   NUMBER   43 – AMERICANA

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1. (African Americans – African Methodist Episcopal Church) The General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, of 1864. With an Appendix. Published by S. M. Giles.

      Hartford: Press of Case, Lockwood and Company, 1864, octavo, 64 pp., lacking wrappers, text somewhat foxed, else very good. OCLC locates one copy only (NYPL.)

      Bound with:

      Journal of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Held in Washington, D. C., 1868. Edited by Rev. William F. Butler, Secretary of the Conference. Published by Rev. Geo. H. Washington.

      Providence: A. Crawford Greene, Book and Job Printer, 1868, octavo, 80 pp., lacking wraps, else good. Unlisted per OCLC.

      Bound With:

      Minutes of the Proceedings of the Eighth General Conference of the A. M. E. Zion Church in America.

      [N.p., 1872] octavo, 34 pp., lacks wrappers, else good. This conference was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. Unlocated in OCLC.

      All three titles bound in contemporary ¼ cloth and marbled boards, binding somewhat rubbed and scuffed, else very good. Contemporary pencil ownership signatures of William T. Biddle of Baltimore, Maryland and later Elmira, New York, a minister of the A.M.E. Zion Church.                                                                                                                                                       $ 950.00

2. (African Americans) [Gibbes, Philip, Sir] Instructions for the Treatment of Negroes, &c. &c. &c.

       London: Printed for Shepperson and Reynolds, 1797, [second edition] originally printed in 1786, here reprinted with additions, 12mo, vi, 49, [1], 51-134, [8] pp., music, dis-bound, some dust soiling to title-page and last leaf, contemporary signature of Sir Philip Gibbes on title-page, else a very good copy.

      Scarce work on slavery especially as it concerns Barbados and West India planters. Pages 1-49 are headed: Instructions for the Treatment of Newly Purchased African Slaves. To the Manager of Spring-Head Plantation. The work provides all manner of instructions and hints to those with slaves on the island, includes a section on diet, with recipes for slaves meals. Pages 67-132 are headed: Instructions for the Treatment and Improvement of Negroes. Pages 133-34 carry The Negros Address to his Fellows, and A Grace after Meat, written by a Lady. The last eight pages contain both words and music to slave songs. Sabin 34856, ESTC T110047; not in Lib. Company Afro-Americana; not in Blockson Collection catalog.                                                                 $ 3750.00  

3. (African Americans) Grimke, Francis J., “Oration In Connection With Valedictory Subject: College Experience. [1870 Lincoln University Valedictory Address by Francis Grimke.]

      [N.p. 1870] folio, 18 page manuscript, written on lined paper, hand-stitched, some light dust soiling, else in very good, clean legible condition. This is presumably a fair copy of the valedictory address of Francis Grimke given upon his graduation at the head of his class from Lincoln University in 1870. The handwriting is different from known examples of Grimke’s hand, however no other copy, either printed or in manuscript form, appears to exist of this address.

      Francis J. Grimke (1850-1937) Presbyterian minister and civil rights activist, born near Charleston, son of Henry Grimke, a planter, and Nancy Weston, a biracial slave. During the Civil War, his white half-brother sold him to a Confederate officer who Grimke accompanied until the end of that conflict. A benefactor from the Freedmen’s Aid Society sent him to study at Lincoln Iniversity in Chester County, Pennsylvania. A newspaper account of the young scholar’s outstanding record attracted the attention of his white aunts, Angelina Emily Grimke and Sarah Moore Grimke, who had been deeply involved in anti-slavery activities. After learning of the existence of a here to fore unknown nephew, the reformist sisters subsidized Grimke’s education and remained in contact with him for the rest of their lives. Grimke continued his education after graduating from Lincoln University, studying law at Howard University and at Princeton Theological Seminary where he graduated in 1878. Grimke entered the ministry and developed a reputation for passionate advocacy in struggles for racial justice. He began his ministry at the 15^th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. Grimke denounced Jim Crowe racism and lynching and became increasingly vocal. He rallied African American leaders to fight racist discrimination, and to agitate for civil rights “until justice is done.”  He repeatedly stressed self-improvement as a means of achieving equal rights with other segments of American society. Grimke supported Booker T. Washington’s self-help effort, but also joined the “radicals” of the times like W. E. B. DuBois. He married Charlotte Forten (1838-1914) the African American diarist born in Philadelphia.  

      In this insightful and autobiographical address Grimke describes the loneliness of the newly arrived college student, he speaks of intellectual timidity and finding one’s place in a new environment. He warns of the wasted hours spent by immoral companions; of being interrupted in his studies by “sinful” students more interested in love, leisure and amusements than in self improvement and the pursuit of knowledge. Grimke observes that Lincoln University could have been founded as any other school, but it was instead founded to help “the poor, the oppressed, the despised, and before freedom had become popular, you resolved that the colored man should here enjoy the cultivating influence of literature, science, and religion.. You have not thought to abandon us in the dawn of our prosperity while others ignored us…” Grimke then extends his thanks for the philanthropy of the board of trustees, praises his professors in the warmest tones, to speak warmly of fellow students and of fallen students, and proclaims the class motto: “God, Humanity, Our Country,” before ending his address.                                                  $ 3000.00                                                                                        

       _________                                                                                                           

      References:

      Gates and Higginbotham, African American Lives, pp. 363-364

        Altman, Susan, Encyclopedia of African American Heritage

        Lerner, The Grimke Sisters from South Carolina, pp. 358-365

4. (African Americans) Phillips, Wendell, Review of Lysander Spooner’s Essay on the   Unconstitutionality of Slavery. Reprinted from the “Anti-Slavery Standard,” With Additions.

Boston: Printed by Andrews & Prentiss, 1847, octavo, 95 [1] pp., sewn, some dust soiling to title-page, minor nicks to bottom edge of first few leaves, not affecting text, else a very good copy. Spooner stated in his essay that “no law in conflict with natural law is valid and that judges have no obligation to enforce such naturally invalid law.” Wendell Phillips, the prominent abolitionist, in his rebuttal states that Spooner is dreaming, he considered the Constitution a pro-slavery compact and further added that the Republic had been governed by slaveholders for most of its history. Afro-Americana 8173; Dumond p. 93; Sabin 65254, not in Work $ 200.00 .                                                                                                                                                        

5. (Almanac) Stearns, Samuel, The North-American’s Almanack, and Gentleman’s and Lady’s Diary, for the Year of Our Lord Christ 1776.

Worcester: Isaiah Thomas, Watertown: B. Edes, and Cambridge: S. & E. Hall, [1775] 12mo, 24 pp., sewn as issued, corners somewhat dogeared and rounded, some toning to text, else a good copy. Includes an account of the opening of hostilities between Britain and the Colonies, Lexington and Concord, “Directions for preserving the Health of the Soldiers in the Camps,” a list of roads to the principal towns and of taverns and inns along them.

Drake 3260; Evans 14473                                                                                  $ 850.00                                                      

6. (American Revolution) [Burke, Edmund] Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents.

London: Printed for J. Dodsley, the fourth edition, octavo, [4], 1-118 pp., disbound, text very lightly toned, else a very good copy.

“Touches briefly on the effect of the current state of affairs in the colonies and colonists’ growing feeling of independence, but says: “A volume might be written on this melancholy subject; but it were better to leave it entirely to reflexions of the reader himself than not to treat it in the extent it deserves.” – Adams. This edition not in Adams, American Controversy, nor in Sabin, cf. 9303                                                                                                                                             $ 375.00

7. (American Revolution) [Bushe, Gervase P.] Case of Great Britain and America, Addressed to the King, and Both Houses of Parliament.

London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. DeHondt, 1769, second edition, [revised and enlarged] octavo, [4], [1] – 43 pp., disbound, a very good, clean copy. Sabin 9637; Adams, American Controversy, 68-4b; Howes B-1039 Howes attributes authorship of this pamphlet to Gervase P. Bushe, but also states that it has     been attributed to Beorge B. Butler. The work urges that England abandon colonial taxation, and that the colonies be permitted to act voluntarily.       

                                                                                                                                                          $ 500.00 

8. (American Revolution) At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the State of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, by Adjournments, on the 12^th Day of February, Anno Domini, 1778. An Act for the regulation of the prices of labor, produce, manufactures, and commodities within this State.

      [Hartford: Printed by Watson and Goodwin, 1778] first edition, folio, 3, [1] pp., some light staining and foxing, old horizontal fold, bottom edge trimmed, with loss of imprint information, else very good.

      An Act, which was urged upon the states by the Congress to regulate prices and to curb inflation.

          “Whereas the Congress of the United States of America, premising the necessity of reducing the quantity of circulating medium in order to support its value, have recommended to the several States, in the strongest terms to raise supplies for carrying on the war, by taxes, to draw in and cancel all the bills of credit, by them respectively emitted (small change under a dollar excepted) to refrain from further emissions, and to appoint commissioners to meet in three divisions to regulate and ascertain the prices of labour, manufactures, internal produce, and commodities imported from foreign parts. And commissioners from the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New-Jerse[y] [sic]; and Pennsylvania, having met at New Haven and agreed on a regulation of prices for said States, having reported their doings to this Assembly which report is accepted and approved. Wherefore considering that the quantity of circulating medium will be in some measure reduced by the means aforesaid which will end to facilitate the reduction of the present unequal and exorbitant prices of articles, and put a stop to that growing and alarming evil, which is not only big with the greatest injustice to the respective States and to the individuals thereof, but threatens the dissolution of our armies and the ruin of the States, unless timely prevented by a vigorous exertion of the several States, in carrying into execution the system of regulations recommended by Congress as aforesaid…”

      The text of the Act discusses in great detail the measures to be taken to curb the rampant inflation caused by the war.

           Rare. Evans 15766; not in Sabin.                                                                                        $ 7500.00

9. (American Revolution) A Free Appeal to the People of Great Britain, On the Conduct of the Present Administration, Since the Thirtieth of July, 1766.

 London: Printed for J. Almon, 1766, second edition, octavo, 45, [3] pp., advts., disbound, a very good, clean copy. cf Adams 67-13; Sabin 95750                                               $ 200.00

10. (American Revolution) [Grenville, George, recipient] Epistle to Junius Silanus from Cornelius Scipio.

London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, 1769, first edition, 12mo, 20 pp., disbound, trimmed unevenly, and close, else very good. A thinly disguised satire regarding the Stamp Act, Burke, Pitt, and the American situation. Quite uncommon.                                          $ 350.00