American War of Independence.- The following paper is reprinted in New-York by authority, with the remarks subjoined to it. By the Congress of the United States of America. Manifesto. "These United States, having been driven to hostilities by the oppressive and tyrannous measures of Great Britain...", 4pp., [New York, James Rivington], [c.1778] bound with To their Excellencies the Earl of Carlisle, Sir Henry Clinton... The Petition of the Merchants and Traders of the City of New-York, 3pp., [New York, James Rivington], [c.1778] and New-York, November 25, 1778. At a late Meeting of the Merchants of this city, it was represented that the Inhabitants were particularly desirous of expressing the high sense they entertained of the merit of his Majesty's Commissions and to explain their sentiments on the very important situation of affairs..., 3pp., [New York, James Rivington], [c.1778] and Collection of Papers, that have been published at different Times, relating to the Proceedings of His Majesty's Commissioners..., errata f., [Sabin 14380], New York, James Rivington, 1778 and Eden (WIlliam) Four Letters to the Earl of Carlisle, first edition, lacking half-title, light browning, for B. White, 1779 and Eden (William) A Fifth Letter to the Earl of Carlisle, first edition, lacking half-title, [Sabin 21828], for B.White, 1780, together 6 works in 1 vol., contemporary calf, spine gilt with red and green morocco labels, upper joint a little cracked, light rubbing to extremities, 8vo.

⁂ The Eden family copy of a remarkable collection of rare papers largely relating to the American War of Independence.

The first work comprises a near-contemporary copy of Congress's Manifesto, first published by John Dunlap as a broadside in Philadelphia, October, 1778. This was in response to Carlisle and Eden's own Manifesto and Proclamation published earlier in the same month which represented their final attempt at achieving reconciliation between Britain and America.

The second work deals with the Proclamation of the Commissioners of Sept. 26th whereby the New York merchants were permitted to ship one million pounds of produce to England, and petitions for an extension of the permit to include the merchants of Rhode Island also. This is followed by a further Proclamation of the Commissioners, dated November 18th, extending the license of the merchants of both New York and Rhode Island to trade with the mother country.

The third work is an address by the loyalist David Mathews, along with 22 other citizens, addressed to the Earl of Carlisle, Henry Clinton and William Eden, stating their loyalty to British government.

Collations of copies of the Collection of Papers appear to vary with some copies ending after the 4 unnumbered appendix leaves (as in ESTC) while others apparently include the first two items listed here (as possibly in Sabin). The only example of the work we could trace at auction in the last 80 years contained the first two works but not the third. Copies of the first four works appeared in the Caplin sale of 1918, we can trace 1 or 2 examples of the first two appearing at auction since but no examples of the third.