Louisiane

1827 · 88857 — New Orleans: A.T. Penniman & Co 1827-29. First Edition. First printing. Two octavo volumes. Early straight-grained morocco over marbled boards; gilt spine-titles; pp. lxxxiii 364; iii--xv 429pp. Half-titles present. Rubbing to board edges and spine ends with heavier rubbing at crowns and board corners; foxing generally mild more conspicuous but not obtrusive to a few gatherings in each volume. A well-preserved example in an attractive early binding Very Good. With ownership signature to both volumes of John T. Ludeling see note. <br /> <br /> A desirable copy of this early keystone work of Louisiana history. Author François-Xavier Martin 1762-1846 born in France emigrated to North Carolina around 1783 establishing himself first as a printer and then after reading law as a legal scholar and jurist. He entered politics in 1806 and in 1809 was appointed to be the first Attorney General of the newly-acquired Territory of Orleans. As an eye witness to and active protagonist in the legal establishment of the state of Louisiana in 1812 Martin was in a unique position to pen the current history. Though the work was never a popular success - possibly due to Martin's stilted legalistic style which resulted in a work described by his contemporary Charles Gayarré as "lifeless as the minutes and records of proceedings in a court of justice" - subsequent historians have praised the History as for example ".one of the best examinations of the judicial structure from the colonial period to the early nineteenth century. Martin's History of Louisiana has withstood the test of time becoming not only a useful secondary source but also an important primary document." see Mark F. Fernandez From Chaos to Continuity : The Evolution of Louisiana's Judicial System 1712-1862. Baton Rouge: 2001.<br /> <br /> In addition to serving as Louisiana's first Attorney General Martin served for a decade 1836-46 as Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court a fact that lends special interest to this copy of the History which bears the ownership markings of John Theodore Ludeling 1827-1891. Ludeling a prominent Louisiana-born lawyer and jurist just one generation removed from Martin would serve as the Court's Chief Justice from 1868-1877 - and no doubt would have approached the current work with special interest as both a primer on the State's early legal history as well as the product of a distinguished direct predecessor. A notable and well-preserved copy of an uncommon work. SABIN 44871. HOWES M-332. A.T. Penniman & Co unknown