Books and Manuscripts

The earliest available Connecticut printing of the United States Constitution

"WE, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America."

New-Haven: Josiah Meigs, Thursday, September 27, 1787. Vol. II; No. 32. 4to, 10 1/8 x 8 5/8 in. (257 x 219 mm). 8 pp., paginated (249)-258 (last two pages misnumbered). Printed newspaper, featuring the earliest available and complete Connecticut printing of the United States Constitution. The Constitution is printed in full on the first three pages, with the Preamble printed in large type front and center on the first page, and is signed in type by George Washington and the 38 signing delegates. The Constitution is preceded by a printing of George Washington's letter transmitting the document to Congress, and is followed by a printing of the Constitutional Convention's resolution for ratification, as well as an opinion article in support of adopting the text. Further, on p. 254 is an article on the Constitution's reception in Pennsylvania, in which Benjamin Franklin's famous September 17th Convention speech is mentioned. Disbound, with some residue along spine; creasing from original folds; edges slightly trimmed; small dampstaining at bottom corner of first leaf, faint inscription at same; in full red calf folding case. Evans 20563

Although considered by many to be the first Connecticut newspaper printing of the Constitution, former National Archives archivist Leonard Rapport states in his Printing the Constitution: The Convention and Newspaper Imprints, August-November 1787, in the Journal of the National Archives (2:2, 1970), that "The Constitution appeared in the New Haven Connecticut Journal, its first printing in that state" although we can find no examples of that printing. According to The Indiana University Bookman (The Lilly Library, September 1987, Number 16, pp. 30-31), "On September 27, The Norwich Packet carried the first of two installments of the Constitution. The same day, the Constitution appeared in The New-Haven Gazette, and The Connecticut Magazine. The New London Connecticut Gazette published the first installment on September 28. Three papers published the text of the Constitution on October 1: Middletown Middlesex Gazette, Hartford Connecticut Courant and Weekly Intelligencer and the Hartford American Mercury."

This rare printing of the Constitution was printed only ten days after its adoption by the Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. After its adoption by the Convention it was then debated by the Confederation Congress, then assembled in New York City, for two days before being officially sent to the individual states for ratification. Only one day after this printing, on September 28, 1787, the Confederation Congress voted unanimously to submit the Constitution to the states for ratification. It required that each state hold a ratifying convention and elect delegates to debate and then vote on adopting the text. As per Confederation Congress rules, when nine states had voted to adopt, the Constitution would take effect. The ensuing state ratifying conventions were often dramatic affairs, pitting Federalists, who sought to adopt the Constitution, against Anti-Federalists, who viewed with alarm the extended powers the Constitution gave to the government. Connecticut delegates to the Constitutional Convention were instrumental in breaking a deadlock over legislative representation and devised the two-house legislative system we know today. On January 9, 1788, they became the fifth state to ratify the Constitution with a vote of 128-40, and their assent helped push the cause just over the half-way point toward adoption.

We have located only one other copy of this edition of The New-Haven Gazette newspaper that has ever come up for auction. Rare.