The Crisis: Or, Essays on the Usurpations of the Federal Government. By Brutus
Charleston, [SC]: A. E. Miller, 1827. Disbound. Good binding. Item #9993
Octavo. 166 pp. First edition. Removed from binding. Generally toned and foxed throughout, particularly the outer leaves; occasional pencil bracketing in the margin and a couple instances of contemporary ink marginalia; a few leaves with tears and loss to the margin, in one instance, this loss touches a few words (no impact on comprehension).
Frequent contributor of polemical essays in the Charleston Mercury, this present work reprints some 22 essays published in the Charleston Mercury as well as an additional eleven essays, 33 in all. This is Turnbull's most significant work. "He believed that there existed permanent economic and political conflicts of interest between the North, South, and West and that the growing movement toward nationalism would necessarily lead to the abolition of slavery. The Crisis attacked the notion of implied powers, which asserted that many powers not specifically given to the federal government in the constitution were in fact implied to it and should not be left to the province of each state. Jeffersonian in outlook, Turnbull preferred a less centralized, more regionally controlled government. Although The Crisis was not the first to articulate the doctrine of nullification in its South Carolina form, as it is often credited with doing, the essays were a significant step in that direction" (Oxford American National Biography). Uncommon in commerce. Only 7 institutions record ownership according to OCLC. Howes T-420; Sabin 17534; Trunbull II, p. 172; American Imprints 30851.
Price: $375.00