The Memory of the Late James Grahame, the Historian of the United States, vindicated from the charges of "detraction" and "calumny" preferred against him by Mr. George Bancroft, and the conduct of Mr. Bancroft towards that historian stated and exposed [Inscribed to Thomas H. Perkins]
Boston: Wm. Crosby and H.P. Nichols, 1846. First Edition. Octavo (24cm.); publisher's cream wrappers printed within double rule; 59pp. Wrapper extremities rather tonend and slightly soiled, some light chipping, else Very Good and sound. Inscribed at head of upper cover: "Hon. Thomas H. Perkins from the author," presumably the Boston Brahmin millionaire Thomas Handasyd Perkins (1764-1854).
Tract issued four years following the death of the Scottish historian James Grahame (1790-1842), whose "History of the United States of America" met with resistance by members of the New England elite, chief among them American historian George Bancroft, for its frank portrayal of the importance of slavery in the history of the Northern states. Though Bancroft responded by attacking Grahame, his own "History of the United States of America," published seven years after Grahame's, has itself been accused of plagiarism (see Eileen Ka-May Cheng, "James Grahame and Antebellum New England Historical Writers on Slavery and the American Past," "Massachusetts Historical Review," Vol. 18 (2016)). SABIN 67221.
Price: $150.00