(JEFFERSON THOMAS) [Johnson PR] A Letter to Thomas Jefferson

Sale 2287 - Lot 258

Price Realized: $ 480

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 300 - $ 400

(JEFFERSON, THOMAS.) [Johnson, P.R.?] A Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 8vo, disbound; moderate foxing, minor wear to margins. New York, 1802

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About as vicious an attack on the third president as you could ever hope to find, in the form of an open letter signed by "Junius Philænus," but generally attributed to the pamphlet's printer P.R. Johnson. Declares that Jefferson's "principles and views . . . are destructive to the good of this country, and indeed of any country on earth." Among his other crimes, he is alleged to have "polluted the consecrated ashes of Washington with the tears of a crocodile." When accusing Jefferson of crimes "of a private and black nature," the author is likely alluding to the Sally Hemings scandal, which was then just coming to light. Howes J77; Sabin 36926. No copies known at auction since 1941.