Draft of a Penal Code for the State of New York; Prepared by the..

1864. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, 1864. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, 1864. A Presentation Copy From Noyes to a Political Rival [Field, David Dudley (1805-1894)]. [Noyes, William Curtis (1805-1864)]. [Bradford, Alexander W. (1815-1867)]. Draft of a Penal Code for the State of New York; Prepared by the Commissioners of the Code, and Submitted to the Judges and Others for Examination, Prior to Revision by the Commissioners. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, 1864. lv, 285 pp. Octavo (9" x 5-3/4"). Original blind-stamped black moire cloth, gilt title to spine. A few bumps to edges of boards, light wear to corners, some chipping to spine ends, front joint starting at head, armorial bookplate (of John Mack) to front pastedown, presentation inscription "With Compliments of Wm. Curtis Noyes," early owner signature (of L. Tremain, in a different hand) and tiny later adhesive label to front free endpaper. Moderate toning to text, small chips to fore-edges of two leaves (pp. 261-266). $250. * The leading American proponent of codification during the nineteenth century, Field was commissioned by the State of New York to draft a complete codification of the state's laws. From 1847 to 1865, he served with both groups of commissioners convened for this task and, more than any other individual, was responsible for the drafting of all of the codes. This draft of the penal code was issued for public comment. It was completed on December 1864, just before Noyes' death. Noyes was a prominent New York City lawyer. A man of extensive learning, he was an important member of the Code Commission. "L. Tremain" may be Lyman Tremain [1819-1878], a fellow New York jurist and politician who served as the state attorney general from 1858-1859 (defeating Noyes, who ran on the Republican ticket). John Mack, a former owner of this book, may have been the notable nineteenth-century New York publisher. Babbitt, Hand-List of Legislative Sessions and Session Laws 364. (Inventory #: 71187)