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The "birth certificate" of the United States Constitution...
The "birth certificate" of the United States Constitution...
Item # 589663
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October 01, 1787
THE PENNSYLVANIA PACKET, Philadelphia, September Oct. 1, 1787
* United States Constitution
* American government in it's infancy
This issue was printed not long after the Constitutional Convention concluded its work on Sept. 17 and signed off on the Constitution of the United States, and is from the city where it happened.
Certainly the most significant content is a relatively inconspicuous report on page 2 headed: "The United States In Congress, Assembled Friday, September 28, 1787" which reports what another website terms the "birth certificate" of the United States Constitution (see hyperlink). The report lists the states present in Congress on that day, and that: "Congress having received the report of the Convention lately assembled in Philadelphia, Resolved unanimously, THAT the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several legislatures in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates chosen in each state by the people thereof, in conformity of the resolves of the convention, made and provided in that case." signed in type by the Secretary of Congress, Charles Thomson. This was the document that officially ordered the new Constitution to be sent to the states for consideration and ratification. A very early report, and significant that it appears in the newspaper which was the very first to print the Constitution, which appeared in its entirety in the September 19 issue.
This historic report is immediately followed by a report from the Pennsylvania "General Assembly, Sept. 29, 1787" which begins by reciting the document noted above, and setting in motion their efforts to work towards its ratification, noting: "...it is the sense of great numbers of the grand people of this state, already signified in petitions & declarations to this house, that the earliest steps should be taken to assemble a convention within the state for the purpose of deliberating and determining on the said constitution..." with more (see).
Of interest but which pales in comparison to the content above is an interesting page 2 piece about America prefaced with: "The following is an abstract of the prophecy signed by the learned Sir Thomas Brown, together with his exposition thereof; it was written above a century ago:.." (see). Also a brief note that: "Chevalier John Paul Jones, the intrepid naval hero of America, arrived lately at Hartford, in Connecticut." And reports which begin: "The Indians...from the western country, still continue their depredations on the whites...".
Complete in 4 pages, never-trimmed margins, in great condition.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
No Longer Available
