[Printed item.] First Regiment, L. L. V. | The Memorial of the Seventh Company to the Committee of the Bread-Street Ward Armed Association, agreed on at a Meeting of the said Company, [...].

Author: 
Josiah Lowe, Chairman [Seventh Company, First Regiment, L. L. V., Bread-Street Ward Armed Association, London]
Publication details: 
'[...] held at the White-Horse Tavern, Friday-Street, on Monday, November 12, 1804. Mr. Josiah Lowe, in the Chair.' Sorrell, Printer, Bartholomew-Close, Smithfield.
£120.00
SKU: 15373

2pp., 8vo. On the first leaf of a bifolium of laid paper with watermark 'WILLIAMS | 1803'. On aged and worn paper, with closed tears and chipping to extremities. With a couple of manuscript emendations to the first paragraph, which reads: 'GENTLEMEN, | WITH the utmost deference to your acknowledged respectability, as Conductors of the Civil Department of our Association, we beg leave to address [last word amended in manuscript to 'express'] to you the deep concern with which we view the Proceedings of the last [last word amended to 'your'] Sitting; departing, as we conceive they do, from the proper Functions of the Committee, established originally by mutual consent, and confirmed by subsequent Practice.' The key passage reads: 'At a moment conceived to be pregnant with extreme peril, that threatened to involve your property, with every tender and social connexion, in the common ruin of the country, we stood forth, at your solicitation, and pledged our lives, and devoted our time to the protection of that property and those inestimable possessions, and in defence of the national independence: and in the merits of our unconstrained services, we claim to be treated with that liberality of consideration which we have thus deserved at your hands. | We feel ourselves free to declare, that to deprive us of the choice of our Officers, is not only a Breach of your Engagements with us, and an infallible means of reducing us to a state of inefficiency as a Military Establishment; but is also an ungrateful attempt to degrade us to the level of mercenary Soldiers; and we think such a procedure falls with aggravated severity from those, who, by their Office, are the natural protectors and guardians of our rights.'' Scarce: no copies located, either on WorldCat, COPAC, or at the Imperial War Museum.