Cases of Contested Elections in Congress, From the Year 1789 to 1834.

A Survey of Federal-Era Contested Elections Clarke, M[atthew] St. Clair [1790-1852], Compiler. Hall, David A. [1795-1870], Compiler. Cases of Contested Elections in Congress, From the Year 1789 to 1834, Inclusive. Washington, DC: Printed by Gales and Seaton, 1834. 1025 pp. Octavo (9" x 5-1/2"; 22.9 x 14 cm). Contemporary sheep, blind fillets to boards, calf lettering piece to spine, joints reinforced with cloth tape. Moderate rubbing and scuffing to boards, moderate wear to spine ends and corners, heavier wear and some darkening to spine, front board partially detached but secure. Moderate toning and foxing to interior, dampstaining to edges in a few places, light soiling and edgewear to preliminaries. $250. * Only edition. In the early days of the republic, the House was the final arbiter of election disputes, a power granted by the U.S. Constitution. Compiled by a former clerk of the House of Representatives, this volume provides valuable insight into the development of electoral law during the early years of the United States. It includes a total of 61 cases in the House of Representatives and 5 in the Senate. Among these is Ramsay v. Smith, the first contested election, which was heard in 1789. The case concerned a challenge to William Loughton Smith's election to the 1st Congress based on a dispute over his citizenship qualifications. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 14399.…