Dickinson, John; William Goddard (editor and Printer)

The Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser Volume 1: January 26, 1767 - January 23, 1768 (Contains the First Printing of Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, Letters 1-9)

Hardcover, Philadelphia: William Goddard and Partners, 1767-1768. First Edition; First Printing. Very Good. Bound newspaper from 1767-1768. Contains 69 items printed by the newspaper inclyding the original Proposal for Printing by Subscription dated December 23, 1766. Includes issue numbers 1-4,16-33, partial 34, and 35-54. A total of 52 complete issues and 1 partial issue. Also includes 13 Postcripts to various issues and 2 Extraordinary issues. All issues were printed in very small print runs of approximately 1,000 - 2,000 copies. Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British colonies by John Dickinson was first printed by this newspaper. This bound volume includes the true first printing of the first 8 letters complete as well as the somewhat damaged letter 9 (that issue is missing approximately 1/8 of all 4 pages). The Pennsylvania Chronicle was founded by Joseph Galloway (Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly) and the wealthy Quaker merchant Thomas Wharton as secret partners with printer William Goddard. Galloway and Wharton were allies of Benjamin Franklin who was in London representing Pennsylvania to the British government. The paper was founded to give Franklin and Galloway's Antiproprietary political party a mouthpiece since they were shut out of the two other Philadelphia papers. John Dickinson's Properietary party controlled both of them. The printer William Goddard naively believed he had a free hand in editorial decisions even though he was financially dependent on Galloway and Warton. 1767 began peacefully enough with the hated Stamp Act being repealed in 1766. Philadelphia politics therefore turned local. The Chronicle spent much of 1767 defending Benjamin Franklin who was being accused by Dickinson's allies of not fighting against the Stamp Act and allowing it to be passed in the first place. Goddard published 21 of Franklin's London pieces proving he had fought the hated act. On December 2, 1767 Goddard enraged his two secret partners by issuing a special Wednesday edition publishing the very first Letter from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. Although the letter was not signed, it was well known to have been written by Dickenson, bitter political rival of Franklin and Galloway. It was the first time the Letter ever appeared in print. Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania would go on to be widely reprinted throughout the Colonies. The Letters laid the philosophical groundwork for the Revolution and are considered the single most important revolutionary writings printed before the war began. Paine's Common Sense appeared in 1776, the Battles of Concord and Lexington were fought in 1775. Provenance - Bookplate of the original advertiser John Kaighn on front pastedown, his advertisements can be found in several issues. Signature of Samuel G Wright with note that he purchased the bound issues from Morris Town Library on Feb 10, 1827. Wright was a member of the US House of Representatives from New Jersey. He was a wealthy Quaker whose business was in Philadelphia. These newspapers are also notable for the advertisements giving a window into the world of colonial Philadelphia. Slavery was legal in Pennsylvania in 1767 and there are ads offering monetary rewards for runaway slaves. There are also ads for the sale of slaves and the sale of indentured servants. ; Folio 13" - 23" tall. [Item #82594]

Price: $10,000.00