[MISSOURI]

Constitution of the State of Missouri; Made in Convention, at the City of Jefferson, A.D. 1845 [cover title]

Jefferson: James Lusk, 1846. 26pp. Bound to style in half calf and marbled boards, leather label. Old library stamp on first leaf, contemporary ink manuscript notation on first page. Heavily trimmed, with some loss to page numbers and annotation.

The attempted Missouri Constitution of 1845.

The rare Missouri Constitution drafted in the convention of 1845. The first Missouri Constitution was passed in 1820, just prior to statehood in 1821. This is the second proposed constitution, drafted due to the growing population of the state. It was not, however, ratified by the voters, and thus was not adopted. Indeed, the manuscript note in this copy relates that, "This proposed Constitution was submitted to the people of Mo Aug 1846 & rejected by a majority of 8,460-" The constitution was not amended again until 1865, when Missouri passed a constitution with draconian loyalty oaths, designed to exclude all but the most fervent Unionists from public life.

American Imprints Inventory (Missouri) 481.

Item #31363

Price: $2,000.00