The Speech … in the House of Commons, (8th December 1802) on the Motion for the Army Establ shment (sic, the i has dropped out) for the ensuing Year.

London: Printed for John Stockdale … 1802

8vo., pp. 22, wanting the final advertisement leaf (of two), else a very good copy, disbound.

£75

Approximately:
US $97€89

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The Speech … in the House of Commons, (8th December 1802) on the Motion for the Army Establ shment (sic, the i has dropped out) for the ensuing Year.

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First edition of Sheridan’s impressive speech on the army estimates, in support of funding precautions against Buonaparte’s aggression – ‘the crisis in which we are placed … so big with tremendous importance, so pregnant with mighty difficulties, so full of apprehensions and dangers ….’ ‘I have heard instances, Sir, where mounting wooden guns upon a fort has produced the same security as if there had been real ones. But unluckily in this instance for us, by our constitutional form of proceeding, our whole force must be known: we cannot pass upon an enemy wooden guns, and an army at Brentford. If we vote no force, an enemy will know we have none ….’

This was one of the most important speeches of Sheridan’s parliamentary career. Lord Limerick reported that his talents and patriotism were complimented by every side of the House, although his own party’s leader, C. J. Fox, while acknowledging that he will doubtless ‘be right in the end’, still worried that the speech had given concern to his friends and satisfaction to his enemies.

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[MACKENZIE, Lieutenant-Colonel George, and others, defendants.]

The Trial, before the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland, at the Instance of Daniel Ross, Woodsawer in Aberdeen; against Lieutenant-Colonel George Mackenzie, Captain Felix Bryan Macdonough, Serjeants Andrew Mackay & Alex. Sutherland, all of the late Regiment of Ross & Cromarty Rangers: for the Murder of John Ross, late Soldier in the Corps of Riflemen, in the Streets of Aberdeen, on Fourth of June, 1802.

Sole edition. This controversial trial was brought as a private prosecution after the Lord Advocate, Charles Hope, had decided not to prosecute any officers or soldiers for killing four peaceable inhabitants of Aberdeen after celebrations of the King’s birthday on 4 June 1802 had got out of control. Men and boys in Castle Street in high spirits were pelting each other with dirt, straw, and garbage, when Mackenzie and Mcdonough, who had been drinking with the magistrates and were rather intoxicated, walked back to their barracks and were pelted too. Soldiers from the Ross & Cromarty Rangers then joined in, apparently without orders. While soldiers and citizens jostled up and down Castle Street, Mcdonough attempted to calm the situation. Presently he ordered the soldiers to prime and load to intimidate the crowd, but then ordered them to withdraw to their barracks. Mackenzie meanwhile stayed in his quarters. Later the soldiers came out again, and on three occasions deliberately took aim and fired on the populace, although it was not clear whether any command to fire had been given. A serjeant was at the head of the group that shot John Ross, but he was not positively identified as one of the defendants.

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