COLUMBIAN CENTINEL, Boston, July 8, 1797  

* President John Adams
* Acts of Congress

The last column of the front page is taken up with two Acts of Congress, each signed in in type by the President, John Adams, one in script type & the other in block type. Page 2 begins with a third Act signed in script type by John Adams.
Four pages, nice condition.

Background: The Act to provide for the further Defence of the Ports and Harbors of the United States, approved by John Adams on June 23, 1797, serves as a pivotal marker of the transition from early American isolationism to proactive national sovereignty. Passed during a high-stakes special session of the 5th Congress, the Act was a direct response to the Quasi-War with France, following the collapse of diplomatic relations and the systematic seizure of American merchant vessels. Its primary historical significance lies in its dual-purpose strategy: it appropriated $115,000 for coastal fortifications while simultaneously resolving lingering state debts from the Revolutionary War by allowing states to "pay down" their balances through the construction of local forts. This maneuver effectively federalized the defense of the nation’s coastline, marking the birth of the "Second System" of American fortifications. By authorizing the fortification of key maritime hubs and the acquisition of the underlying land by the federal government, Adams not only bolstered the nation’s physical defenses against foreign privateers but also strengthened the constitutional authority of the young federal government to manage national security, setting the stage for the permanent naval and coastal infrastructure that would eventually be tested in the War of 1812.