CONSTITUTION

[Paul-Henri Spaak, Prime Minister of Belgium and ‘Mr Europe’.] Typed Letter Signed (‘P. H. Spaak’), in French, as Belgian Foreign Minister, to Sir George Rendell, regarding the success of a mission to Singapore and a paper on a mysterious subject.

Author: 
Paul-Henri Spaak (1899-1972), Prime Minister of Belgium, nicknamed ‘Mr Europe’ because of his work towards European integration [Sir George Rendell (1889-1979), British diplomat]
Publication details: 
26 May 1954. On letterhead of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brussells.
£90.00

Rendell had served as Ambassador to Belgium between 1947 and 1950. At the time of writing he was heading the Commission which resulted in the 1955 Constitution of Singapore. 1p, long 8vo. Folded twice. In fair condition, lightly aged. Endorsed with action taken in red ink. Twenty lines of text, addressed to ‘Sir Georges [sic] RENDELL’ in London as ‘Mon cher ami’. Having once again ‘repris mon job avec plaisir et intérêt’, he has not spent much times in the Belgian capital, instead ‘faisant la navette entre Genève, Strasbourg et Bruxelles’.

[ Sir Travers Twiss, jurist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Travers Twiss') to C. S. A. Abbott [ the future Lord Tenterden ] regarding 'the United States Courts having limited the criminal consequences of violating neutrality to the Cruise'.

Author: 
Sir Travers Twiss (1809-1897), jurist who drew up the constitution of the Congo Free State [ Charles Stuart Aubrey Abbott, 3rd Baron Tenterden (1834-1882), diplomat ]
Publication details: 
Temple [ London ]. 21 May 1867.
£120.00

2pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. When Twiss 'suggested the circumstance', Sir R. Palmer 'had some doubts about the United States Courts having limited the criminal consequences of violating neutrality to the cruise [last word underlined]'. There was also 'some doubt about the effect of a sale by a <?> of a Prize Court to a third party. Twiss thinks 'it might be desirable to print & circulate the enclosed observations bearing upon those two points'.

The Government of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, & Ireland, And the Dominion thereto belonging [continued below]

Author: 
[ Oliver Cromwell ]
Publication details: 
London: Printed, by William du-Gard, and Henry Hills, Printers to His Highness the Lord Protector. MDCLIII (1653).
£400.00

[title continued] "As it was publickly declared at Westminster the 16. day of December 1653 . . . OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR of the said Common-wealth, took a Solemn Oath for observing the same." Wing (CD-ROM, 1996), G1456F ; Thomason, E.1063[5] Signatures: E2 F-L² chi¹. Issued separately and possibly also as part of a through-paged set. The last leaf bears "The oath taken by His Highness Oliver Cromwel, Lord Protector" signed (printed): O. Cromwell.

[Printed pamphlet in defence of the British House of Lords.] Civilisation and the Constitution. A Catechism.

Author: 
Graham Bower [Sir Graham John Bower, RN] (1848-1933), Irish-born British colonial official, Imperial Secretary to High Commissioners for Southern Africa, 1884-1897 [Parliament; House of Lords]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [South Africa, 1880s or 1890s.]
£120.00

2pp., 4to. On the rectos of the two leaves of a bifolium. Signed in type at end 'GRAHAM BOWER.' On laid paper with 'SOUTHERN CROSS | FINE QUALITY' watermark, suggesting, with the typographic style, that it was written during the period of that he served as Imperial Secretary. Very good, on lightly aged and creased paper.

The Constitutional Convention. The Constitution of New Hampshire as amended by the Constitutional Convention held at Concord on the first Wednesday of December, A. D. 1876: with the Several Questions involving the amendments proposed [...].

Author: 
T. J. Smith, Secretary to the Convention, et al. [New Hampshire]
Publication details: 
Concord: Edward A. Jenks, State Printer. 1877.
£50.00

Octavo: 31 pp. Stitched and unbound, with front of the original printed wraps, which bears the title-page, still present. Text clear and entire, on aged paper with some dogearing and chipping to top outer corner. Front wrap creased and lightly stained, with a little chipping, but with text clear and entire. Pencil ownership inscription in contemporary hand at head of title. Reproduces the proposed amended constitution and various resolutions regarding a referendum on the subject.

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