ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND RULES OF THE PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. [with:] [OFFICIAL MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT ADDRESSED TO THOMAS FRANCIS REGARDING PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION].

[Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce]:

Published by Philadelphia: Printed by Zachariah Poulson, Junior, February 9, 1801.

About this Item

The official Articles of Association for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, adopted when it was founded on January 5, 1801, along with a manuscript document regarding changes to those rules written shortly after. The titlepage of the ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION exists in two states; this is the much rarer state which specifies the month and date in the imprint. The Chamber was established, according to these articles, "for the purpose of aiding the Trade of the City of Philadelphia, by carrying into effect such Rules and Regulations as may, from time to time, be established with respect to our Commerce, and the adjustment of Mercantile differences between each other." The Chamber of Commerce was founded exclusively for merchants, with rule XV stating that "No person can become a Member of this Institution who is not a citizen of the United States and a trading merchant of the city of Philadelphia, either as a ship owner, importer or exporter, or a marine insurance broker." This rule was reversed in 1834 when the Chamber of Commerce was absorbed into the Philadelphia Board of Trade and became open to all businessmen. The accompanying manuscript document, dated March 2, 1801, is addressed to Thomas Willing Francis and regards the proposed reconsideration of Rule XII (which states that members may not refuse to submit their accounts to the Chamber in the case of a legal dispute) as well as a handful of other motions. Thomas Willing Francis (1767-1815) was a Philadelphia native from a long line of Pennsylvania businessmen. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1814, he entered the family firm of Willing & Francis - the firm which had sent the first recorded American ship to China for the purpose of trading opium nearly a decade before. He was a founding member of the Chamber of Commerce, achieved the rank of captain in the Second Philadelphia City Cavalry, and served as a director of numerous other Philadelphia organizations. A significant document in the economic and civic history of Philadelphia, with a rare manuscript addition from less than a month after publication and two months after the Chamber's founding. SHAW & SHOEMAKER 1148. SABIN 61974. Contemporary marbled wrappers. Spine ends chipped, corners a bit worn. Manuscript with some old folds and light creases. Very good.

Seller Inventory # 57454

Bibliographic Details

• Title: ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND RULES OF THE PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. [with:] [OFFICIAL MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT ADDRESSED TO THOMAS FRANCIS REGARDING PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION].
• Publisher: Philadelphia: Printed by Zachariah Poulson, Junior, February 9, 1801.