Books and Manuscripts

10-term Mayor of New York City, Father of the Erie Canal, and Future Governor of New York DeWitt Clinton’s Copy of New York City Laws and Ordinances

New-York: Printed by James Cheetham, 1805. First edition. 8vo. 160, liv (index) pp. New York Mayor DeWitt Clinton's copy, signed by him at head of title-page. Full period-style brown calf, stamped in blind and in gilt, green morocco spine label; all edges trimmed; ink and blind stamp of the Association of the Bar, Library, City of New York, at head of title-page, but not obstructing signature, blind stamp of same on first page of text; scattered minor foxing to text. A handsome copy with significant provenance. Sabin 54339

An important copy of New York's Laws and Ordinances: New York City Mayor DeWitt Clinton's copy. Remembered as one of New York City's most consequential mayors, Clinton oversaw a period of growth and modernization for the city, and was instrumental in setting its course in its becoming the economic powerhouse that it is today. Although known as the "Father of the Erie Canal" for his dogged support of the engineering marvel, his terms as mayor oversaw crucial developments that modernized the city's public services and infrastructure: the establishment of a board of health to help mitigate epidemics, like yellow fever and other diseases (pp. 157-60), the creation of a city inspector to record births, deaths, marriages, and other data concerning the city's residents (pp. 6-17), and the creation of regulations for the building of roads, public works, and the operations of business. Significantly, he was a champion of public education in the city and was the first president, and one of the first benefactors, of the New York Free School Society, what would eventually become New York's public school system. Alongside civic initiatives he was a founding member and president of the New-York Historical Society, as well as chairmen of the American Academy of the Arts and the Literary and Philosophical Society. Holding office during a time of high European emigration, Clinton supported liberal immigration laws and the elimination of a citizenship test oath for Irish Catholics, significant in a predominantly Protestant-leaning city that witnessed many nativist riots.

On January 17, 1805, the Common Council of the City of New York met. During the meeting, the Common Council “proceeded to a consideration of the ordinances,” and passed ten laws. Topics included “due observance of the Lords day, called Sunday”; “the establishment of a Board of Health” with a city inspector; “procuring regular Bills of Mortality” and “a Register of Births and Marriages”; regulating taverns, victualling houses, and boarding houses; directing monthly reports of measures of grain, lime, charcoal, boards, and timber and “Weighers of Hay” with annual reports; better regulation of the alms house; the appointment of a street commissioner; the appointment of a city comptroller; the appointment of a “Superintendent of Scavengers,” charged with providing for sweeping the streets and preventing nuisances (public sanitation); and preventing and extinguishing fires.

DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828) was born in New York and attended the College of New Jersey before graduating from King’s College (Columbia University) in 1786. He was admitted to the bar in 1790 but instead of practicing law, he first became secretary to his uncle, the Governor of New York, George Clinton. He entered politics in 1798 and served ten nonconsecutive terms as Mayor of New York City. After his uncle George Clinton unsuccessfully challenged James Madison for the Presidency in 1808, the Federalists turned to DeWitt Clinton in 1812. Although he polled stronger than many Federalist candidates, he lost to Madison in the Electoral College by a vote of 128 to 89. When Daniel D. Tompkins resigned as governor of New York to become vice president of the United States in 1817, Clinton won a special election to succeed him. As governor, Clinton presided over the building of the Erie Canal and continued in that role after he left office at the end of 1822. When political opponents removed him as President of the Erie Canal Commission in April 1824, the political backlash led to his reelection as governor later that year, and he again served from the beginning of 1825 until his death.