THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SEVERAL INDEPENDENT STATES OF AMERICA; THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; AND THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION BETWEEN THE SAID STATES. TO WHICH ARE NOW ADDED, THE DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

Second British edition. A new version of the first British edition printed a year earlier, with significant additions, including the "Declaration of Rights," and particularly interesting for the inclusion of several important treaties relating to the United States. The two French treaties of 1778 are added, followed by one of the first printings (certainly the first English) of the American-Dutch treaty of June 7, 1782. This commercial treaty was the first concluded by the United States with any power other than France, and opened the door to essential Dutch loans to the United States. Finally, there is a printing of the Provisional Articles of Peace signed by the U.S. and Great Britain in Paris on November 30, 1782. With very minor changes this became the final treaty signed the next year. These were first made public at the end of January 1783, and the present edition appeared shortly thereafter. The bookplate is that of Thomas Mytton, a Lincoln's Inn alumnus and collector, possibly a descendent of the Thomas Mytton of Shropshire who played a prominent role for the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil Wars. An important early English edition of America's founding documents. SABIN 16088. AMERICAN CONTROVERSY 83-53a. HOWES C716. MATYAS 83-02. COHEN 3020. ESTC T138353. REESE, REVOLUTIONARY HUNDRED 67 (ref). Frontispiece. Contemporary tree calf, neatly rebacked in matching modern calf, spine gilt with raised bands, leather label stamped in gilt, edges ruled in gilt. Light scuffing and shelf wear to boards, contemporary armorial bookplate on front pastedown. Offsetting to titlepage from frontispiece, later ink added to eyes in frontispiece portrait. Quite clean internally. Very good.…