Oration by Hon. Chauncey M. Depew at the Unveiling of the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, October 28, 1886.

[New York] : [publisher not identified], printed at the De Vinne Press, 1886. Book. Very Good Minus. Printed Wrappers. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR. 1st Edition. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED in ink front wrapper"Compliments of Chauncey M. Depew". First Edition, Very Good Minus, covers detached with most of paper at spine lost, shallow chips at edges of covers, contents internally clean and unmarked. The engraved stamp of The De Vinne Press rear cover. The De Vinne Press was located in New York City. 34 pages with illustration of the Statue of Liberty under tissue guard at frontis. At the time of the unveiling Chauncey M. Depew (April 23, 1834 - April 5, 1928) was President of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, and he was afforded the final time slot for speeches. He dedicated the Statue to "the friendship of nations and the peace of the world", and he continued that "the spirit of liberty embraces all races in common brotherhood; it voices in all languages the same needs and aspirations....it means that with the abolition of privileges to the few and the enfranchisement of the individual, the equality of all men before the law, and universal suffrage, the ballot secure from fraud and the voter from intimidation, the press free and education furnished by the state for all, liberty of worship and free speech; the right to rise, and equal opportunity for honor and fortune, the problems of labor and capital, of social regeneration and moral growth, of property and poverty, will work themselves out under the benign influences of enlightened law-making and law-abiding liberty, without the aid of kings and armies, or of anarchists and bombs." SCARCE, and particularly so SIGNED. OCLC appears to locate 17 US libraries with a copy of this important and historic speech. . (Inventory #: 010346)