#MC7
1843
Large Octavo (21 x 16.5cm). ca. 100 leaves pp. Ca. 40 unnumbered leaves of autographs, some leaves with hand drawn coloured vignettes and decorative borders for the autographs in calligraphy, and additionally illustrated with four steel engraved city views and one page with two lithographed oval portraits of James K. Polk and George M. Dallas. Attractive period brown elaborately gilt and blind stamped full straight grained sheep. Expertly rebacked in style, first few leaves with very mild water staining but overall a near fine autograph book. Originally bound by Hickok & Cantine Binders, Harrisburg, P.A., with their blind stamp on the front pastedown.
Original Manuscript Autograph Book of Members the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Including the Autograph of Pennsylvania's Ninth Governor David R. Porter (1788-1867), and the Autographs of the Electors who Voted for James K. Polk in 1844.
An important piece of Pennsylvania Legislature history, an album signed by the state's representatives from each county, during the 1843 session. Also signed by the Electors who voted for the James K. Polk, in 1844. The City of Philadelphia and then Philadelphia County are the first two pages, each signed by 7 and 8 representatives respectively. Most notably signed by David R. Porter, the ninth Governor of Pennsylvania from 1839-1845 and his chief staff. Porter was the first Governor under the State Constitution of 1838. He was elected for two terms, and was denied a third term by the Legislature. Porter was a proponent of improving roads and canals to expedite transport of iron works, an industry in which he was a financier and manager prior to politics. The state went into heavy debt as a result of his aggressive spending, but eventually recovered.
