Author: Dunlap, John; Claypoole, David
Title: The Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertiser, Wednesday, December 28, 1785
Description: Philadelphia, PA, Printed and Sold by John Dunlap and David C. Claypoole, 1785. First Edition. Single issue; 19 1/2 x 12; pp. [4], single sheet, folded (now separated along fold in two); illustrated with small, engraved vignettes; occasional small spots of foxing; edges brittle with several chips and closed cuts; small archival repairs in two places; in fair to good condition. Founded in 1771 as a weekly newspaper by John Dunlap (1746 - 1812), one of the most prominent, early Irish-American printers known for printing the first copies of the United States Declaration of Independence, "The Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertiser" would become, in 1784, the first successful daily newspaper published in the United States. Eventually, David Claypoole (1757 - 1849) would join Dunlap - first as a young apprentice and later - as a full partner. A significant part of the current issue was dedicated to an important milestone of American banking and to various events in the bookselling and publishing world, the former being concerned with the Bank of North America and the revocation of its charter. In 1781, it would become the first chartered bank in the country and the first de facto central bank, by recommendation of, then, the first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Just a few years later, following the turmoil of the Revolutionary War, the bank's questionable methods for collecting debts, the accusations of favoritism and excessive foreign influence, the Congress' lack of ability to tax, etc. the bank's charter would be revoked, though it would continue operating under a congressional charter. The book-world news included a long list of offerings by William Poyntell (1756 - 1811) - a bookseller and printer, known as one of the preferred businesses of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and remembered for publishing the first American editions of the works of Horace, Virgil, and Ovid. He was also a director of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and shareholder in the Library Company of Philadelphia. In other news, another long list of books was featured, by Thomas Dobson (1751 - 1823) - Scottish-American master printer, widely-known for publishing the earliest American version of the Encyclopedia Britannica and the first in the United States to publish a complete Hebrew Bible. Perhaps, the most interesting bit of news was the announcement for the publication of Humphry Marshall's "Arbrustum Americanum: The American Grove.." - the first botanical book produced in America, written by a native-born American, on American plants. Other pieces included an article on Christmas, auctions, rewards for escaped criminals, and so on. Fair .

Keywords: Americana


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