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On the death, funeral and memorials for George Washington...
On the death, funeral and memorials for George Washington...
Item # 708193
January 13, 1800
J. RUSSELL'S GAZETTE, COMMERCIAL & POLITICAL, Boston, Jan. 13, 1800
* President George Washington's death
The front page has wide, black mourning rules, and the borders and all columns on pages 2, 3 & 4 also have wide, black mourning rules for the death of George Washington.
Related content is on pages 2, 3 and 4, with: "Public Testimonials, of Respect In Commemoration of the Virtues & Character of GENERAL WASHINGTON" "Tributary Honors at Berwick" "Tributary Honors at North Yarmouth" and similar at Freeport and Mount Hope. The "Legislature of Massachusetts" has content concerning the death of Washington, including a lengthy "Speech" by the governor, Moses Gill.
Other related content can be seen in the photos, including the lengthy: "Public Testimonials - Tributary Honors in Boston" including the details of the lengthy memorial parade.
Four pages, archival strengthening at the central fold on pages 2 and 3 causing no loss of readability, a few other small archival mends inside, generally in nice condition.
background: The presence of "mourning rules" across all four pages of J. Russell’s Gazette signifies the profound weight of George Washington’s passing, as these thick black borders were a costly and labor-intensive printing tribute reserved for events of national catastrophe. This specific edition serves as a chronological bridge between the initial shock of Washington’s December death and the formalized, ritualistic grief that swept through New England by mid-January 1800. The inclusion of Acting Governor Moses Gill’s speech and the granular details of the Boston memorial parade—noting the specific participation of various civic and military groups—highlights how the Federalists utilized these public displays to solidify a sense of national identity and continuity during a period of intense political uncertainty. Furthermore, the reports from outlying towns like Berwick and North Yarmouth demonstrate that the "cult of Washington" was not merely an urban phenomenon but a unifying cultural force that permeated the rural landscape of Massachusetts and the District of Maine.
Category: Pre-Civil War
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$275.00
