Letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieut. Governor Oliver, &c.
Item #78866
[HUTCHINSON, Thomas]. The Letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieut. Governor Oliver, &c. Printed at Boston. And Remarks Thereon. With the Assembly's Address, and the Proceedings of the Lords Committee of Council. Together With the Substance of Mr. Wedderburn's Speech Relating to Those Letters. And the Report of the Lords Committee to His Majesty in Council. London. 1774. [4],142pp. Gathered signatures, stitched as issued, housed in tan morocco-backed folder. Several leaves with faint marginal dampstaining. otherwise quite clean. Near fine. American Controversy 73-5f. Sabin 34072. Howes H-851. This edition was edited by Israel Mauduit, and was printed with the idea of defending his friend, Governor Hutchinson. These letters by Hutchinson were leaked by parties unknown, but probably Benjamin Franklin who was then still in London as agent for Pennsylvania and as assistant Post Master for the American colonies. The mistrust of colonial intentions revealed in them created a firestorm of criticism in Boston and led to Hutchinson literally fleeing the colony. "Publication of these letters - copies of which Franklin had secured in London - fanned revolutionary sentiment in America more than any other book of the period" - Howes. Prints proceedings of Franklin's grilling before the Privy Council. After Franklin's appearance and the famed assault on his character by Wedderburn, he was stripped of his post office sinecure and his position in London made difficult. The whole incident was a major escalation of the Revolutionary tensions in the American colonies, and the cause of Franklin's final disillusionment with the British ministry.
Price: $3,000.00