The Works of Alexander Hamilton - James Gillespie Birney's Personal Copy: Comprising His Most Important Official Reports; An Improved Edition of The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in 1788; and Pacificus, on the Proclamation of Neutrality, Written in 179Comprising His Most Important Official Reports; An Improved Edi

James Gillespie Birney's personal copy of "The Works of ALEXANDER HAMILTON" - Volumes I and II (of a 3-volume set) with an early printing of The Federalist Papers. 1810 1st edition; Williams and Whiting; New York. "Comprising His Most Important Official Reports; An Improved Edition of THE FEDERALIST on the New Constitution, Written in 1788; and Pacificus, on the Proclamation of Neutrality, Written in 1793." Handsome, leather-bound volumes with attractive gilt spines, and gilt accents along the edges of the boards. Volume I contains a frontispiece portrait of Hamilton. Volume II contains the 6th edition of The Federalist, Numbers 1 through 46.

Provenance: The name "J.G. Birney" (James Gillespie Birney) is written on page 50 of both volumes. Birney was an American abolitionist, politician, and attorney from Kentucky. He published a weekly abolitionist publication titled "The Philanthropist" and twice served as the Presidential nominee for the anti-slavery Liberty Party. Birney was referred to as "Lincoln's Prophet," as his candidacies in 1840 and 1844 forecasted the antislavery position the country would take by electing Lincoln in 1860.

The contents are as follows:
VOLUME I:
* Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on Public Credit
* Report on a National Bank
* Report on the Subject of Manufactures
* Report on the Establishment of a Mint
VOLUME II:
* The Federalist (Numbers I through XLVI)

Condition:
Both volumes are tightly bound with secure covers and no loose pages. Clean leather covers and spines with only some tiny specks at the top edge of volume I; bright gilt on the spines. Sharp corners with only some wear to the lower-outer corner tip of the volume II front cover. The pages are in very good condition - age toned, but clean. Foxing to the frontispiece portrait of Hamilton in volume I. Each volume has an old bookplate affixed to the front pastedown. "J.G. Birney" written in old handwriting at the top of page 50 in both vols. Volume I - the upper-outer corner of page 271 has torn away, and page 273 has a dime-sized piece missing at the top of the outer edge...in both instances, the text is unaffected. There is a 1/2" tear in volume II, page 17 at the upper-inner corner. Volume II opens with a blank end paper, followed by page 1 - the frontispiece and title page are not present. I am unsure whether or not this edition was issued with a table of contents...neither volume contains one.