The Works of the Honourable James Wilson, 3 Vols, Philadelphia, 1804

1804. Philadelphia: Lorenzo Press, 1804. 3 vols.. Philadelphia: Lorenzo Press, 1804. 3 vols. Includes Early Commentaries on the U.S. Constitution by One of the Framers Wilson, James [1742-1798]. Wilson, Bird [1777-1859], Editor. The Works of the Honourable James Wilson, L.L.D. Published Under the Direction of Bird Wilson, Esquire. Philadelphia: At the Lorenzo Press, 1804. Three volumes. xvi, 467; vi, 497; iv, 439 pp. Volume I has a copperplate engraved portrait of James Wilson with a tissue guard. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5"). Contemporary sheep, blind fillets and red and black morocco gilt lettering pieces to spine, small embossed owner stamp, "D.A. Smalley," to centers of front boards. Light rubbing, a few faint stains and a few minor scuffs to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, corners bumped and somewhat worn, front joint of Volume I just starting at head, owner signature (George Ashburn, dated 1856) to front pastedowns, foxing and dampstaining to frontispiece, foxing and offsetting to title-pages. Moderate toning, light foxing and offsetting to text throughout set, light dampstaining in top corner of most leaves in second volume, wear and toning along edges of pp. (67)-70 in third volume, "D.A. Smalley" to title pages. A handsome set. $8,500. * First edition. Wilson was one of the most influential delegates to the Federal Constitutional Convention and one of the six founding fathers who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He was also the principal author of the Pennsylvania Constitution, a professor of law and an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. Compiled and edited by his son, the Works consist mostly of lectures on American law delivered at the College of Philadelphia in 1790 and 1791. Wilson intended to revise them and publish them as a treatise, but death intervened. As published, they cover several aspects of public and private law, such as the common law, general principles of the law of nations and the law of nature, crime, obligations and property. Other lectures are some of the earliest commentaries on the U.S. Constitution. The texts of several important speeches, including several concerning the Constitution, are also included. "D.A. Smalley," the former owner of our copy, is probably David Allen Smalley [1809-1877], a Vermont lawyer, judge and politician who was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1856.