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George Fisher. Memorials of George Fisher, ...
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Description
Special Presentation Copy of this Extremely Rare Narrative
George Fisher. Memorials of George Fisher,
Late Secretary to the Expedition of Gen. Jose Antonio Mexia,
against Tampico, in November 1835. Presented to the Fourth and
Fifth Congress of the Republic of Texas, Praying for Relief in
favor of the members of said expedition. Houston: Printed at
the Telegraph Office, 1840.FIRST EDITION, SPECIAL PRESENTATION COPY. 8vo. 87 pages, plus additional printed material added later (see below). Original brown cloth. Housed in modern quarter morocco slipcase.
Special Presentation Copy of this extremely rare narrative, prepared by Fisher and bound with additional material, inscribed by Fisher on the front flyleaf: "To Christopher Fallon, Esq. of Philadelphia, Penn. / With the Respects of / Geo: Fisher. / Washington D. C. / May 1858." Additionally inscribed by the author with an autograph summary entitled "Index to Special Reading" on front flyleaf. According to Streeter, in March, April and May, 1858, Fisher added later material to some copies of the eighty-seven page Memorials of 1840 and presented the volume thus made up to several persons. The present copy mostly corresponds with Streeter's copy, and includes: (1) A manuscript summary in Fisher's holograph on the front flyleaf, with seventeen references given. (2) A separately printed biography in six pages, reprinted from Livingston, Biographical Sketches of Eminent Americans (New York, 1853-54). (3) A seven-page pamphlet reprint from the Madisonian of 5 February 1844 and a reprint from the Panama Echo of 1 June 1850. (4) A four-page quarto-size reprinting, headed "Correspondence," reprinting the text of eleven letters regarding Fisher's qualifications to be Commissioner of Deeds in California (folded in at end).
"These Memorials of Fisher's are a full and contemporaneous account of an episode in Texas history that just missed being one of its important events. If the Tampico Expedition from New Orleans in November, 1835, had gained its objective, the course of Texas history would have been changed and its leader, Mexia, and its secretary, Fisher, would have been Texas heroes. By an unlucky accident it failed and its failure the country because of the capture and execution of twenty-eight of its members" (Streeter). In this memorial Fisher gathers documents in support of the claim that the invasion was supported by Leaders in Texas.
George Fisher was a Hungarian adventurer, linguist and intriguer, who worked as an interpreter and translator for the Senate of the Republic of Texas. "Fisher was one of the unusual characters who gravitated to Texas and enlivened its annals. In a letter to Lucas Alaman dated San Felipe, Oct. 18, 1830, Austin speaks of Fisher as 'uno de aquellos aventureros miserables y desvergonzados que ni tienen patria ni principios de honradez' [one of those adventurous, miserable, and shameless that neither have country nor principals of honesty]" (Streeter).
Extremely rare: Only one other copy of a specially prepared presentation copy as this has appeared in online auction records in the last half century.
Condition: Minor wear to spine ends and corners, a little wear at spine cords worn, covers lightly rubbed, bookplate apparently removed from front pastedown. Text of the Memorials browned and foxed, as usual.
References: Fifty Texas Rarities 22; Graff 1329; Howes F-151; Sabin 24460; Streeter, Texas 384.
Provenance: Christopher Fallon, Esq., legal counsel and President of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad (presentation inscription from the author, dated May 1858; William Roberson Coe (collection bookplate from Yale University Library on rear pastedown).
Auction Info
2023 December 2 The Ted Lusher Texas History Collection, Part One Signature® Auction #6281 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2023
2nd
Saturday
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