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Author: Taylor, Zachary
Title: Message from the President of the United States, to the Two Houses of Congress, at the Commencement of the First Session of the Thirty-First Congress
Place Published: Washington
Publisher:
Date Published: 1849
Description:

3 volumes. 850, [1]; 370; 371-1215 pp. With 24 folding engraved maps, 6 of them hand-colored; 18 plates or plans, 8 of them folding; 6 folding tables. 22.6x13 cm (9x5¼"), original quarter leather marbled boards, spines lettered in gilt.

Lands newly wrested from the Mexican government were pacified and ripe for exploration and exploitation; California gold was luring ever increasing numbers of emigrants; rich mineral lands around the Great Lakes were about to fuel the industrial growth of the latter half of the 19th century. At this important juncture in the history of the republic, the various departments of the executive branch produced these volumes summarizing the knowledge of these extensive resources and their promises.

Includes several geological maps of the region around Lake Superior, some of them hand-colored to reflect the geological composition. Other maps include Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Michigan, etc. In the extensive report of the War Department, the gold of California is discussed, and its quantity speculated upon, "It is no doubt matter of great interest to the government to have some accurate information relative to the actual product and probable wealth of the gold mines in Upper California. But there are no means of collecting facts in an authentic form in the country where the gold is found... The estimate of the amount produced up to the 1st of this month, which I have stated in my report...at about four millions, was founded on a comparison of the calculations of different persons who had been at the mines, and of those who traded with the miners..."

Minor wear to covers; foxing throughout, including maps, which are otherwise in exceptional condition; very good.