View source for Laws of the United States of America

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Laws of the United States of America''}}
__NOTOC__{{BookPageInfoBox
|imagename=LawsOfTheUnitedStates1796v1.jpg
|link=https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/510444
|shorttitle=The Laws of the United States of America
|vol=volume one
|author=Compiled by Zephaniah Swift
|edition=First
|lang=English
|publoc=Philadelphia
|publisher=Printed by Richard Folwell
|year=1796-1797
|set=3
|desc=8vo (21 cm.)
}}{{BookPageBookplate
|imagename=LawsOfTheUnitedStatesOfAmerica1796Vol1Bookplate.jpg
|display=left
|caption=Bookplate, front pastedown, volume one.
}}''The Laws of the United States of America'', compiled by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephaniah_Swift Zephaniah Swift] and first published by Richard Folwell in 1797, is credited as being the first compilation of United States statutes.<ref>Clarence E. Carter, "Zephaniah Swift and the Folwell Edition of the ''Laws of the United States''," ''American Historical Review'', 39, no. 4 (1934): 689-95.</ref> Swift (1759-1853) served as a diligent public servant from 1783 until 1819, spending time in the Connecticut General Assembly, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Connecticut Supreme Court.<ref>Christopher Anglim, [http://www.anb.org/articles/11/11- “Zephaniah Swift”], in ''American National Biography Online''.</ref> While Swift was a notable federalist and prominent advocate against slavery, his most significant contributions to American history remain his writings on early American laws and statutes.<ref>Ibid.</ref><br />
<br />
Swift’s ''The Laws of the United States of America'' is one of only four compilations ever authorized by Congress.<ref>Clarence E. Carter, "Zephaniah Swift and the Folwell Edition of the ''Laws of the United States''."</ref> The original edition published in 1797 includes the earliest Federal laws and statutes of the United States in three volumes.<ref>Ibid.</ref> While this publication was commonly referred to as “Folwell’s Statutes”, Swift is now accurately attributed as the original editor and compiler.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
Listed in the [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Laws of US. 1st. 2d. 3d. vols. 8vo." and given by [[Thomas Jefferson]] to [[Dabney Carr]]. The [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref> Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433</ref> includes the first edition (1796-1979) of ''The Laws of the United States of America''  based in part on a copy of volume two at the University of Virginia with the inscription ''Given by Thos. Jefferson to D. Carr – 1806'' on the inside of the front board. Most of the Wythe books given to Carr have the same inscription. In contrast to Brown, [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s. v. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe "Member: George Wythe"] accessed on September 16, 2013.</ref> on LibraryThing lists the title ''Acts passed at a Congress of the United States of America ...'' and indicates "Vols. 1-3 only. Precise edition unknown. Several editions of the early laws passed by Congress were published, beginning with New York and Richmond editions in 1789." The Wolf Law Library agreed with Brown's reasoning and purchased a copy of the first edition of ''The Laws of the United States of America''.

==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
Bound in contemporary polished calf with spine rules and original gilt-lettered morocco spine labels. Volume one contains the bookplatge of Robert Woods Bliss, founder of the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, and one of the creators of the United Nations.

View this book in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/510444 William & Mary's online catalog.]

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
Read volume two of this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=TZc3AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover Google Books].

Read volume three of this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=Ha83AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover Google Books].

[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
[[Category:Statutes]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
[[Category:United States Statutes]]