Heritage Auction Galleries has announced the sale of a first edition copy of The Federalist. Comprised of 85 articles written between October 1787 and August 1788 by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton, it is one of the most important and significant treatises on government philosophy ever published.

The articles originally appeared mostly in New York newspapers in the late 1700s. Their purpose was to encourage the acceptance of the United States Constitution and encourage interpreting it throughout the future. After their influence was recognized, and the articles began accumulating, they were collected and printed as The Federalist. Describing the volume’s significance, James Gannon, Director of Rare Book Auctions at Heritage said, “The importance of The Federalist cannot be overstated…These three men, and others like them, were in the process of creating an entirely new system of government, one that had never before been seen in all of human history…”

Gannon went on to say, “A first edition of this important work would command great attention under any circumstances, but this particular copy has a fascinating association, as well.” This copy was owned by Major Roger Alden, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, Deputy Secretary of the Continental Congress, Chief Clerk to the Domestic Arm of the State Department, and holder of other prestigious appointments. Along with being a part of significant moments in American history, he had close associations with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, among other American government founders, and he even served under Benedict Arnold during the 1775 expedition to Quebec.

The first edition copy of The Federalist will be part of Heritage’s Grand Format Books & Manuscripts Auction on June 3-4, 2008. View and bid on the book on Heritage’s website.