Very rare and desirable first edition and first state [with "enlarged" spelled incorrectly] of the Constitution of the first Anti-Slavery Society in America. The Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery was founded in 1774 by Anthony Benezet. Although founded before the American Revolution, they were almost immediately forced to suspended activities due to the demands of the War. It was revived in the immediate aftermath of the defeat of the British and elected as its President, Benjamin Franklin.
Their newly minted abolitionist Constitution, in part authored by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine, was issued shortly before the convening of the Federal Constitutional Convention. It was presented to the Constitutional Convention by Franklin himself, where he urged the body to adopt the abolition of slavery and full citizenship for African-Americans into the originating documents. He was rebuffed.
The pamphlet proudly boasts in fine typeset Benjamin Franklin as President, Benjamin Rush and Tench Coxe as Secretaries, and Thomas Paine as Clerk of the General Assembly. "This was the first broadly circulated statement of anti-slavery sentiment printed in the United States," a significant document by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine, and an important primary resource impacting the original Constitution of the United States (Reese). Evans 20636; Reese, Federal Hundred, 14; Sabin 60364.
[Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine]. The Constitution of the Pennsylvania Society, for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of Free Negroes, Unlawfully Held in Bondage. Begun in the Year 1774, and Enlagred [sic] on the Twenty Third of April, 1787. To Which are Added, the Acts of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery. Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph James, 1787. First edition. 15pp.
A very neatly preserved example in faint period mineral blue wraps with losses at the spine cover and wraps showing some staining. The pamphlet itself is side-stitched with half-title present and looking very smart. Title and all text generally clean with some minor handling as shown and side-sewing lightly intruding into inner margin. Minor corner turns / bumps on text block. Some very faint staining. A superbly preserved example of a significant document.
