[Americana] Hillhouse, James

PROPOSITIONS FOR AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, Submitted by Mr. Hillhouse to the Senate, on the Twelfth Day of April, 1808, with his Explanatory Remarks [bound with] AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. . .

Washington: 1808. Hard Cover. Very Good+ binding. Item #6374

12mo. 52, [2], 7 pp. First edition. Originally issued as a stitched pamphlet, this copy in recent marbled paper over boards with printed title label on the front cover; untrimmed. Contemporary copyediting in ink scattered throughout, neat.

Hillhouse was a U.S. Congressman and Senator from Connecticut and a veteran of the Revolutionary War. He was known for proposing a series of amendments to limit the power of the Federal government. Presented here, are several proposed amendments determining how representatives are elected and their term limits as well as, and most notably, his proposal that the President of the United States be selected by lottery from the Senate and that the term of the President be one year. Also, the abolishment of the office of the Vice President. Given the recent political climate one might be forgiven to wonder if this was a proposed amendment in 1808 or this year. . . . A second edition was issued the same year in New Haven; this is a bright, clean copy of the first edition of this uncommon explanatory pamphlet with the amendments at the the rear with their own title page. American National Biography; Sabin 31883; Shaw & Shoemaker 15230.

Price: $250.00