[ Sir George Hayes, The Times and the Crimean War. ] Manuscript Copy by Sir Richard Harington of Hayes's squib 'A Bill For the more effectual Prosecution of the War with Russia, and for securing the Liberty of the Press & for other purposes'..

10 + [1]pp., folio. On ten leaves of grey paper, attached at a corner with string. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded into a packet by Harington, and docketed by him: 'Squib in "The Times" by Sergeant Hayes afterwards Mr Justice Hayes | Prosecution of the War with Russia, & Liberty of the Press' The text, with marginal commentary, appears to be identical to that published in London in February 1855 by William Stevens, Printer, 37, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. The manuscript version differs stylistically from the printed one in that it employs clerkly contractions involving the macron.) In his 'Hayesiana' of 1892, Edmund Macrory states that Hayes' squib appeared at a point when the War in the Crimea was progressing in an unsatisfactory manner, and shortly after a second false report of the fall of Sebastopol had found its way into The Times and other papers. The start of the document gives a good impression of the whole: 'A Bill | For the more effectual prosecution of the war with Russia, & for securing the liberty of the Press & for o[the]r p[ur]poses | Wh[ere]as the war with Russia has not hitherto been carried on in such a manner as to satisfy public op[ini]on; And wh[ere]as Public Op[ini]on is completely & exclusively represented by "the Times" newspaper; And wh[ere]as all p[er]sons hith[er]to engaged in ye active prosecution of ye s[ai]d war are wholly incompetent to perform any of ye Duties confided to them; And wh[ere]as ye Times Newspaper is fully competent to discharge all such Duties: Be it therefore enacted, That the entire future conduct & manage[men]t of ye s[ai]d war shall be confided to ye af[oresai]d newspaper.'.