2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
An authentic and complete editor's copy of The Pennsylvania Ledger, Philadelphia, May 11, 1776. Ink stain at front page; editor's notations throughout. One the front page, a letter from the Virginia Gazette summarizing the historical relationship between the American colonies, with thoughts leading to a necessary separation, that we should go it alone and not with the presumed assistance of France. In part, "The first settlers of North America from Britain...considered man as a being formed by his Creator free & independent...our forefathers undertook, at the expence of their blood & their treasure, unassisted by the government of England, to explore & settle these new regions...A fondness...for their native country, a predilection for her laws & form of government & the hopes of protection induced them to wish to remain connected with England...Happy would it have been for these countries if this glorious establishment had never been broken in upon by the British parliament...We ought to insist upon the rights of independency & a free trade...We must indeed have some temporary form of government within ourselves to carry on the war; but if we are successful in this war, Great Britain will rather make peace with us on those terms than lose us altogether...He must be a very short-sighted politician indeed who builds his hopes of FREEDOM on the assistance of France!" ... Also appearing on the front page is an article about ships and men destined for America, and an advertisement for the printing of a work taking the opposite stance of Paine's famous "Common Sense" entitled, "Additions to Plain Truth: Addressed to the Inhabitants of America Containing further Remarks on a late Pamphlet entitled COMMON SENSE: Wherein are clearly & fully shewn that American Independence is as illusory, ruinous, and impracticable as a liberal reconciliation with Great Britain is safe, honourable, and expedient..." ... Pages two and three contain a great wealth of reporting on the Revolutionary War, including, "A new regiment of light infantry is now raising to be sent to America..." and an item from Williamsburg, "Thirty-eight sail of the men of war...destined for North Carolina from England are said to be arrived at Cape Fear..." Plus, a report from Newport concerning a naval chase; an account of the military situation at Trois Rivieres near Quebec; a letter from West New Jersey beginning, "...an alarm...of a party of regulars landing on fiddle's Island in Bacon's Neck, about 4 miles from Greenwich..."; a letter from the camp near Quebec concerning military events there; a letter from an officer at Fort George; and a letter from an officer at Montreal which takes over half a column. On the back page, "Lord Howe is invested with unlimited military powers, which, it is said, he positively demanded previous to his accepting the chief command of the King's forces in America." Also, "...that on the 31st of Dec. the Provincials attempted to take Quebec by storm but were defeated with the loss of 80 men & upwards of 300 taken prisoners, amongst whom were General Montgomery...", and further on, "...that the troops, from a fixed aversion to the service, grossly misbehaved at Bunkers Hill on the 17th of June. Gen. Burgoyne...allowed that the troops gave way a little at one time because they were flanked by the fire out of the houses at Charles-Town but that they soon rallied & advanced, and no men on earth ever behaved with more spirit, firmness & perseverance till they forced the enemy out of their entrenchments..."
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