An Infallible Cure for Political Blindness, if administered to Patients possessing Sound Minds, Honest Hearts, and Independent Circumstances

[Richmond]: [Thomas Nicolson], 1798. First edition. 38, [2, blank]pp. 12mo. Stitched, a bit toned and dog-eared. First edition. 38, [2, blank]pp. 12mo. Given as an oration in Washington, Pennsylvania on May 10, 1798, Addison's speech on the deteriorating relationship with France following Jay's Treaty was a harsh critique of James Monroe, who wrote that the oration "seems to have collected all the calumnies heretofore circulated against me." Addison called Monroe a “weak zealot, subsurvient to [French] ambition and insolence,” and accused him of a variety of public and private sins, including the neglect of his official duties, speculation in French (truncated) funds, the purchase of a “princely palace,” playing host to Thomas Paine, and refusing to toast President Washington at a Fourth of July dinner.

Addison (1758-1807) came to America in 1785 and began practicing as a lawyer in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1787. In 1791, he became the chief judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania and authored several pamphlets on political and constitutional issues, including freedom of speech and press, Jay's Treaty, the Quasi-War with France and most notably the Alien and Sedition acts.

A correspondent with George Washington, Addison sent Washington a copy of the speech from a newspaper printing, along with another essay on Alexander Gallatin, which prompted the following reply from the ex-President: "Both of these productions I have read with equal attention & satisfaction; and although it has been justly observed in one of them, that to offer conviction to a person convinced before hand would be labour lost, yet, much good may, & I am persuaded will result, from the investigation of Political heresies, when the propagation of them is intended, evidently, to mislead the multitude; who, it is to be hoped, and as I verily believe, only require correct information to enable them to decide justly upon all national matters which are brought fairly, & properly before them; who, not like the Demagogues that attempt to impose upon their understandings, and are affraid to open their eyes, lest something should accost them, which might flash conviction, and embarrass them more in the prosecution of their system of opposition to the Wheels of Government which they have adopted, and at all events, it would seem, are determined to adhere to" (The Papers of George Washington, Retirement Series, vol. 2, 2 January 1798 – 15 September 1798, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998, pp. 310–311).

The present first pamphlet printing of Addison's oration was accomplished in Virginia at the behest of William Heth, who authored the preface headed To the People of Virginia. Heth (1750-1807), a Henrico County planter, had served with distinction in the Revolution and here published Addison's oration as a call to arms against what he perceived as the impending war with France. In July 1798 he would send Washington a copy of the pamphlet, noting: "I had no difficulty in making up my mind, never to withdraw from tempestuous scenes, when my Country shall be in danger. And should my services be deemd necessary in the field, before the present gathering storm shall be dispel’d, it would be the pride and glory of my Heart, to be placed by your side as an aid-de-camp, with a rank proportion’d to my former rank, experience, and service, so that I might be able to take command on any emergency." Washington's copy of An Infallible Cure was in his library at the time of his death, becoming part of the collection at the Boston Atheneum (Griffin 100).

The work is ascribed to the press of Thomas Nicolson by Evans. Rare, with ESTC locating but two copies (Boston Aethenaeum [i.e. George Washington's] and William and Mary), and with no examples in the auction records for the last half century. Evans 33270; ESTC W18165; Sabin 34690 (Inventory #: 370914)