PAINE, Thomas. Dissertation on First Principles of Government.

London: James Watson, 15, City Road Finsbury. [c.1832]. pp. 16. Modern marbled wrappers. A fine copy.
COPAC with 2 locations only. First published in 1795. Probably published between 1834 and 1874.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) wrote two of the most influential pamphlets in circulation at the start of the American Revolution: “Common Sense” and “The American Crisis”, His utopian vision of civic republicanism, liberty and a free market chimed with the politics of his times, with far-reaching visions of a benevolent state. The publisher James Watson (1799-1874) was an important figure in the production of radical literature and the first works he produced himself were those of Paine. He joined a group in Leeds who discussed politics and published Richard Carlile’s “Republican” newspaper, before moving to London to act as Carlile’s shop keeper. Watson became involved with other publishers in the struggle against stamp duty on newspapers and pamphlets, and with the Chartist movement and campaigns for a free press and for trade unions. He endured spells in prison for blasphemy and for printing seditious literature, but eventually set up his own successful publishing business in Finsbury producing works by Byron and Shelley as well as radicals like Paine, and from 1832 “The Working Man’s Friend” newspaper.