[Rarebooks] FS: ALEXANDER HAMILTON. (1804)

[Ezra Tishman]

Ezra from Aardvark offers this copy of Coleman’s uncommon compendium of Alexander Hamilton-related papers, etc.



Coleman, William (editor). A COLLECTION OF THE FACTS AND DOCUMENTS RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON; WITH COMMENTS: TOGETHER WITH THE VARIOUS ORATIONS, SERMONS, AND EULOGIES, THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ON HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER A Collection of the Facts and Documents Relative to the Death of Major General Alexander Hamilton; With comments: Together with the Various Orations, Sermons, and Eulogies, that have been Written on his Life and Character. New York: Hopkins & Seymour for I. Riley and Co. Booksellers, No. 1, City-Hotel, Broadway, 1804. 8vo. Contemporary tree calf, with contrasting black spine label lettered in gilt, and spine likewise ruled. Front board nearly detached, and ready for your conservator.  238pp. Moderate foxing throughout, but, but none overly distracting or to obscure text. Previous owners names and dates written to endpapers, and a Latin phrase and an eight-line Latin verse as well. Compiled by the editor of the Evening Post who gathered together all that was known of the circumstances leading to the duel which took place on July 11, 1804, on the Heights of Weehawken, (New Jersey) and the public commentary appearing in the press after Hamilton's death.

Originally published in five "collections", (letters, anecdotes, poems, tributes, newspaper articles, etc.), issued serially.

Contains all manner of recollections, from Hamilton's very last words uttered on the earth (as reported by the doctor who rushed to his side moments after he'd been shot), to a dedicatory poem written by a 12-year old young woman. (Howes C-572; Sabin 14311) Good Only. Leather-bound.  

												$550

Willliam Coleman was the editor of (Hamilton's) New York Evening Post. Compiled at the request of Mrs. Hamilton shortly after her husband's death, this book contains, to quote Paul Leicester Ford in Biblioteca Hamiltonia, p. 94: "nearly every thing related to his death, and much else that could otherwise be found only by a reference to the papers of the day. 

"This Collection of Papers, and the comments and remarks which will occasionally accompany them, are offered to the public no less in gratification of my own feelings, than in compliance with the request of those whose wishes I have long been accustomed to respect.”

"In the death of Hamilton, I have lost my best earthly friend, my ablest adviser, and my most generous and disinterested patron. And all that is now left me, is to pour forth my gratitude in unavailaing sorrow; and to evince my regard for his memory, by defending it against the cruel attacks of those, who, not contented with having deprived him of his life, seem bent on pursuing him beyond the grave, and destroying his fame. A belief is confidently indulged, that when this series of Numbers shall be completed, enough will have appeared to sileence the voice of calumny forever…" 

Of course one asks what could have led to this. The correspondence between Vice President Burr and Hamilton is there, and essentially distills down to a "Dr. Cooper I heard you said such and such about me" letter from Burr to Hamilton. Mr. William P. Van Ness (Burr's Second at the infamous duel) and Dr. Charles D. Cooper were involved in amping up this purported "diss" which revolved around several perceived insults regarding Hamilton's opinion of Burr, or Hamilton's purported opining ("in substance", so goes the letter's wording) phrase which reads: General Hamilton and Judge Kent have declared in substance, that they looked upon Mr. Burr to be a dangerous man, and one who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government." 


Photos, etc.:
https://www.ezrabook.com/pages/books/80831/william-coleman/a-collection-of-the-facts-and-documents-relative-to-the-death-of-major-general-alexander-hamilton



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