President Washington makes some appointments...
Item # 682851
THE MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE, Boston, February, 1790 Among the articles are: "On the Use of Cosmeticks" "American Natural History...Of the Birds" & much more.
Near the back is a full page plate of music, as well as: "The Gazette" which has the latest news reports from Winchester, Va. New London, and Boston. Also a list of appointments by the President.
The plate called for is lacking.
Complete in 64 pages, 5 by 8 1/4 inches, typical foxing, good condition.
Background: The February 1790 issue of The Massachusetts Magazine serves as a critical primary record of the First Federal Congress and the nascent American identity, capturing a moment when the United States was transitioning from a loose confederation into a functioning constitutional republic. Historically, this specific month was monumental: it marked the very first session of the United States Supreme Court on February 2, 1790, and the formal organization of the executive branch under President George Washington. The "list of appointments" mentioned in the magazine documented the literal construction of the American government, including the confirmation of Edmund Randolph as the first Attorney General and the establishment of the first-ever Presidential recess appointments sent to the Senate on February 9. Beyond high politics, the magazine’s inclusion of Judith Sargent Murray’s proto-feminist essays (often published under the pseudonym "Constantia") and home-grown American music signaled a deliberate effort by printers Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer Andrews to foster a distinct "American Enlightenment." By blending revolutionary news with cultural refinements like "Cosmeticks" and "Natural History," this issue stands as a "thermometer of the age," documenting the fragile but determined birth of an independent national culture.
This title was published by the famed Isaiah Thomas, the patriot printer from the Revolutionary War & founder of the American Antiquarian Society.
Near the back is a full page plate of music, as well as: "The Gazette" which has the latest news reports from Winchester, Va. New London, and Boston. Also a list of appointments by the President.
The plate called for is lacking.
Complete in 64 pages, 5 by 8 1/4 inches, typical foxing, good condition.
Background: The February 1790 issue of The Massachusetts Magazine serves as a critical primary record of the First Federal Congress and the nascent American identity, capturing a moment when the United States was transitioning from a loose confederation into a functioning constitutional republic. Historically, this specific month was monumental: it marked the very first session of the United States Supreme Court on February 2, 1790, and the formal organization of the executive branch under President George Washington. The "list of appointments" mentioned in the magazine documented the literal construction of the American government, including the confirmation of Edmund Randolph as the first Attorney General and the establishment of the first-ever Presidential recess appointments sent to the Senate on February 9. Beyond high politics, the magazine’s inclusion of Judith Sargent Murray’s proto-feminist essays (often published under the pseudonym "Constantia") and home-grown American music signaled a deliberate effort by printers Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer Andrews to foster a distinct "American Enlightenment." By blending revolutionary news with cultural refinements like "Cosmeticks" and "Natural History," this issue stands as a "thermometer of the age," documenting the fragile but determined birth of an independent national culture.
This title was published by the famed Isaiah Thomas, the patriot printer from the Revolutionary War & founder of the American Antiquarian Society.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
