PBA Galleries

15 bound volumes of this important weekly periodical, beginning during the War of 1812, and proceeding through to the Texas Revolution. Begun in 1811 as The Weekly Register, Hezekiah Niles' creation was the fore-runner of the news magazine of today, and presented a wide array of news, commentary and review, with much on political events and personalites. Included are contributions by Zebulon M. Pike; an engraving of the Columbian steam engine; the taking of Amelia Island off Florida in 1817; Mormonism in 1831 ("...certain knaves, pretending to have found some holy writings hidden under a stone in Ontario county, New York, started a religion... The members of this sect are now said to amount to 1,000 souls!"); the "Case of Samuel Houston" in 1832, regarding threats to whip a member of the House of Representatives; etc. The final volume in this collection, March-September, 1836, contains the momentous events of the Texas Revolution, including the "Fall of San Antonio and Massacre of the Texian Troops"; communication from Houston while he was camped west of the Brasos, March 31, 1836, with accompanying proclamation by Santa Anna; debate regarding slavery and possible annexation of Texas; report of the capture of Santa Anna as mentioned in senatorial debates; account of the battle of San Jacinto; capture of Santa Anna; Official Report of the Texian victory as related by Samuel Houston to President Burnett; John Adams' speech of May 25, 1836, calling the war in Texas "a Mexican Civil War..."; and many more. The volumes present are Vols. 3, 7, 9, 13, 39-47, 49, 50. Accompanied by "Niles' Weekly Register: News Magazine of the Nineteenth Century" by Norval Neil Luxon, 1947, in jacket.