The Algerine Spy in Pennsylvania

In 1787, at the height of the debate over the Constitution in Philadelphia, news reached legislators that American sailors had once again been taken hostage by pirates from the Barbary States. Despite a desire to respond but with no central government, the new American Republic had no means to create a naval force.Enter an anonymously written book - "The Algerine Spy in Pennsylvania" or, "Letters Written by a Native of Algiers on the Affairs of the United States in America". Consisting of a series of letters, it predicted that the former colonies would never resolve their differences and be "ruined by disunion" - it created such a sensation that it tipped the balance of opinion in favour of adopting the new Constitution.This superb reprint is introduced and edited by respected historian Timothy Marr, who re-examines the importance of this work in the political history of the United States.