A Collection of all such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are now in Force; with a table of the principal matters. To which are prefixed the declaration of rights, and constitution, or form of government. Published pursuant to an act of the General Assembly, intituled, "An act providing for the republication of the laws of this Commonwealth," passed on the twenty-eighth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two.

VIRGINIA.

Published by Richmond, Virginia: Printed by Augustine Davis, printer for the Commonwealth, 1794

About this Item

First edition, presentation copy from Robert Brooke, 10th Governor of Virginia, to the Duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, inscribed by Brooke on the title page: "Mr De Liancourt from his friend & host Robert Brooke". Brooke (1751-1800) served as Governor of Virginia from December 1794 to December 1796, having represented Spotsylvania County in the General Assembly from 1791. François-Alexandre-Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt (1747-1827), liberal reformer and president of the National Constituent Assembly, fled France during the Revolution, reached Philadelphia in 1794, and travelled through the United States from May 1795. In 1799, Rochefoucauld-Liancourt's account was published in English as Travels through the United States of North America; it was one of the key European accounts of the early United States. He gives a lengthy account of his visit to Richmond in June 1796, describes it as "truly agreeable" (vol. III, p. 60), and praises the Capitol as "the finest, the most noble, and the greatest, in all America" (p. 61). He calls Governor Brooke "a well-informed man" and names him among "the persons with whom I was most frequently in company in Richmond" (p. 119). The volume includes the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Constitution of 1776 and gathers Acts of the General Assembly from 1736 to 1793. The General Assembly ordered its publication in 1792 after revising the existing statutes. ESTC W14097; Evans 27999; Sabin 100403. Folio (359 x 235 mm), pp. 380. Contemporary calf, red morocco spine label. Recipient's name in inscription crossed through and another, "John Ehrenberg", written underneath, as seen in other American books from Rochefoucauld-Liancourt's library. Very light residue of removed label at foot of spine, minor staining to front cover and peripherally to contents, scattered light foxing, yet generally an attractive and well-preserved copy.

Seller Inventory # 193087

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Collection of all such Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of a Public and Permanent Nature, as are now in Force; with a table of the principal matters. To which are prefixed the declaration of rights, and constitution, or form of government. Published pursuant to an act of the General Assembly, intituled, "An act providing for the republication of the laws of this Commonwealth," passed on the twenty-eighth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two.
• Publisher: Richmond, Virginia: Printed by Augustine Davis, printer for the Commonwealth, 1794
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)