America's Lecacy [sic] by WASHINGTON, George - 1797: Being the Address of G. Washington, on his Declining a Re-election to the Presidency, to the People of the United States

Hudson: A. Stoddard, 1797. The extremely rare first edition, first issue of Stoddard's printing in book form of Washington's Farewell Address announcing that he would not seek a third term as president. Originally published in David C. Claypoole's Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796. The speech is dated "17th Sept. 1796." Twelvemo (5 x 3 1/8 inches; 127 x 80 mm). [1]-99, [1, blank] pp. We could find no other copy of this present edition and only two copies of the 200 page edition in the past 50 years. We could only find one other copy at a library, the New York Historical Society.

Original decorative drab printed paper boards. Boards a bit rubbed. Some minor toning. Small closed tear to page 67-68, not affecting text. Two previous owner's bookplates on front endpapers, Otto Oren Fisher and Josephine H. Fisher. Overall a very good copy. Housed in a quarter morocco over marbled boards folding case.

"In September 1796, worn out by burdens of the presidency and attacks of political foes, George Washington announced his decision not to seek a third term. With the assistance of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, Washington composed in a "Farewell Address" his political testament to the nation. Designed to inspire and guide future generations, the address also set forth Washington's defense of his administration's record and embodied a classic statement of Federalist doctrine... Washington did not publicly deliver his Farewell Address. It first appeared on September 19, 1796, in the Philadelphia Daily American Advertiser and then in papers around the country." (United States Senate Historical Office).

"Following the speech's initial publication in the American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796, regional printers rushed copies into print. Ashbel Stoddard (1763-1840) was one of these. In 1797, he published two issues of Washington's farewell address. A slim 99-page edition, presumably the earliest, was assembled in such haste that Stoddard did not have the opportunity to correct the egregious misspelling on the title page ("Lecacy" for "Legacy"). Evidently fearing that the offering was too poor, Stoddard subsequently published an expanded version plumped up to 200 pages by appending reprints of three earlier speeches dating from the revolutionary war. " (Bonhams).

Howes. Not in Sabin but mentioned in Sabin, 101591

HBS 68599.

$12,500.