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115 ROOSEVELT, Franklin Delano. Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt President of the United States, Chautauqua, N.Y., August 14, 1936. Washington DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1936 a fitting association for one of roosevelt’s most important foreign policy speeches First and limited edition, inscribed by Roosevelt on the front pastedown “No. 14 of 50 copies FDR”, and on the facing page “For William C. Bullitt with the affectionate regards of Franklin D. Roosevelt”. Bullitt was a key foreign policy adviser to Roosevelt, and appointed by him as US ambassador to the Soviet Union (1933–6) and France (1936–40). The Chautauqua address was one of Roosevelt’s most eloquently resonant speeches, advocating international support to prevent war, and denouncing religious and racial hatred. Presidential speechwriter Samuel Rosenman saw the speech as Roosevelt’s first effort to “warn the people of the United States and the world of the dangers which lurked in all dictatorships” (cited in Wolf, p. 33). Bullitt was a friend of Roosevelt for many years, first meeting him in the First World War, and was among his earliest supporters when he ran for president in 1932. “The most cosmopolitan of American politicians of the era, Bullitt spoke several languages, lived in Europe for many years, and eagerly travelled through Asia. A Wilsonian Liberal who gradually became a Cold War Conservative, he was always engaged with the ideas of the Left . . . He established personal relationships with some of the twentieth century’s most important people, including Vladimir Lenin, Franklin Roosevelt, Chiang Kai-shek, Charles de Gaulle, Sigmund Freud, and Mikhail Bulgakov” (Etkind). Of particular importance in this period was Bullitt’s thinking on the Spanish Civil War. Bullitt argued that “European war could only be avoided through Franco-German reconciliation, and that any American intervention in Spain would only serve to complicate this objective. Bullitt’s disinclination to aid the Spanish
Republic was heightened by his marked distrust for the Soviet Union” (Tierney, p. 43). Roosevelt’s approach of neutrality towards the conflict followed Bullitt’s reasoning. Octavo, 16 pp. Original grey boards, paper label to front. Recipient’s booklabel mounted below inscription. Spine sunned, a little rubbed and with one slight dent, couple of light blemishes to label, a very good copy. ¶ Alexander Etkind, Roads Not Taken: An Intellectual Biography of William C. Bullitt , 2017; Dominic Tierney, FDR and the Spanish Civil War , 2007; Thomas P. Wolf & others, eds., Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress: Volume Two , 2001. £10,000 [145460] 116 ROOSEVELT, Franklin Delano. – HUNT, Thomas. A Historical Sketch of the Town of Clermont. Hudson, NY: privately printed, The Hudson Press, 1928 inscribed by fdr to eleanor First edition, first printing, presentation copy from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, inscribed on the front free endpaper, “To my wife Anna Eleanor Roosevelt descendant of the Chancellor and reared on these acres, from Franklin D. Roosevelt”. This is a superb association copy linking the future president and first lady, with FDR proudly referring to Eleanor’s distinguished ancestor Robert R. Livingston, Chancellor of New York State from 1777 to 1801; Eleanor was the great-great granddaughter of his brother, Philip Livingston (1741–1787). Hunt’s book is the sort of antiquarian history that FDR relished, mixing genealogy with the major political and military events. FDR and Eleanor were born and raised near to Clermont. Octavo. Original linen-backed grey boards, top edge gilt. Housed in a custom brown morocco-backed slipcase and cloth chemise. With 3 maps, 1 folding, photographic illustrations throughout. Binding a little soiled with stain to rear cover, shadow of original label, one map with a few small stains, contents lightly toned with minor nicks, ink annotation at head of p. 85 noting the original of a portrait of Robert R. Livingston, apparently in Eleanor’s hand. Overall a very good copy. £10,000 [118667]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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