Printed booklet entitled “Perpetual War, The Policy of Mr. Madison. Being a Candid Examination of His Late Message to Congress, So Far as Respects the Following Topicks…Viz. The Pretended Negotiations for Peace…The Important and Interesting Subject of a Conscript Militia…and The Establishment of an Immense Standing Army of Guards and Spies, Under the Name of a Local Volunteer Force…By a New England Farmer,” printed in 1813 by Chester Stebbins in Boston, Massachusetts, 78 pages, 5.25 x 8.5, written by John Lowell (1769-1840), a Massachusetts lawyer, agriculturist, philanthropist, and a well-known Federalist. The cover bears ink ownership notations. In very good to fine condition, with a missing lower right corner to last page.
An uncommon booklet that critiques President James Madison’s policies during the War of 1812, with a particular focus on what Lowell perceived as Madison’s inclination toward continuous conflict. The author argues against Madison’s approach to foreign policy and military engagement, suggesting that it would lead to an endless state of war. A noteworthy piece of political literature from the early 19th century that reflects the intense debates and controversies of the time.
