![LOWELL, James Russell (1819-1891). No. 16. The President’s Policy. [Philadelphia: Crissy & Markley for the Union League of Philadelphia, 1864].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2016/NYR/2016_NYR_12262_0252_000(lowell_james_russell_no_16_the_presidents_policy_philadelphia_crissy_m104338).jpg?w=1)
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LOWELL, James Russell (1819-1891). No. 16. The President’s Policy. [Philadelphia: Crissy & Markley for the Union League of Philadelphia, 1864].
First edition, offprint issue, of Lowell’s review of Abraham Lincoln’s message delivered to Congress on 9 December 1863, first printed anonymously in the North American Review in January, 1864. After he read the article, Lincoln replied to the Review’s publisher: “Of course I am not the most impartial judge; yet, with due allowance for this, I venture to hope that the article…will be of value to the country. I fear I am not quite worthy of all which is therein kindly said of me personally” (see T.W. Koch, The Bibliographer, Vol. II, No. 2, February 1903, p. 109). Rare: according to ABPC, no copy has appeared at auction in at least the last 35 years; online databases trace only two copies sold in the last 95 years. A superb copy.
In the aforementioned letter, Lincoln questions a sentence (on p. 15) in which Lowell attributes to him a theory that secession “might absolve the States from their obligations.” Lincoln replies: “In what is there expressed, the writer has not correctly understood me. I have never had a theory that Secession could absolve States or people from their obligations” (The Bibliographer, p. 109). As a result of his letter, the publisher of this offprint issue included a footnote on p.15 to clarify this point.
12mo (224 x 146 mm). Publisher’s original printed salmon wrappers; slipcase. BAL 13111.
First edition, offprint issue, of Lowell’s review of Abraham Lincoln’s message delivered to Congress on 9 December 1863, first printed anonymously in the North American Review in January, 1864. After he read the article, Lincoln replied to the Review’s publisher: “Of course I am not the most impartial judge; yet, with due allowance for this, I venture to hope that the article…will be of value to the country. I fear I am not quite worthy of all which is therein kindly said of me personally” (see T.W. Koch, The Bibliographer, Vol. II, No. 2, February 1903, p. 109). Rare: according to ABPC, no copy has appeared at auction in at least the last 35 years; online databases trace only two copies sold in the last 95 years. A superb copy.
In the aforementioned letter, Lincoln questions a sentence (on p. 15) in which Lowell attributes to him a theory that secession “might absolve the States from their obligations.” Lincoln replies: “In what is there expressed, the writer has not correctly understood me. I have never had a theory that Secession could absolve States or people from their obligations” (The Bibliographer, p. 109). As a result of his letter, the publisher of this offprint issue included a footnote on p.15 to clarify this point.
12mo (224 x 146 mm). Publisher’s original printed salmon wrappers; slipcase. BAL 13111.