Washington, George

The Text-Book of the Washington Benevolent Society: Containing, a Biography and Character of George Washington, His Farewell Address, to the People of the United States, and the Federal Constitution, with the Amendments. Concord: Published by George Hough, 1812

12mo (131 x 81 mm). Stipple-engraved frontispiece portrait of Washington after Gilbert Stuart; without the certificate of membership, browned ܫthroughout,&n♏bsp;a few stray stains. Contemporary sheep-backed marbled boards, spine lettered gilt; somewhat worn, board edges abraded, boards a bit scuffed, spine and joints rubbed.

The Washington Benevolent Society was established by the Federalist party to create grassroots political clubs throughout the country between 1808 and 1816. It helped pioneer electioneering techniques such as the textbook and certificate of membership. A later method employed by the Society to enroll party members was the use of pictorial badges be♐aring Washington's image and the motto "Pro Patria," a practice𝔍 that continued throughout the nineteenth-century with badges depicting the actual candidates.

REFERENCE:

Shaw 🅷& Shoemaker 27459; Sabin mentions the work just below 95143, cross-referencing it to the Washington Benevolent Society where the entry&𝔉nbsp;was omitted

PROVENANCE:

C꧙harles McM--- (contemporary si𓄧gnature on front free endpaper partially effaced)