Descripción
210,215-250,253-330,333-370,373-442,445- 470,473-614,617-654,657-678,681-828pp. Folio. Modern calf, spine gilt with raised bands. Each act has a separate general titlepage; pagination and register are continuous. Slight shelf wear, occasional tanning, lacking one general titlepage and several blanks (see below). Very good. An impressive collection of the first twenty- eight acts (out of eighty-three total) passed in the second session of the fourteenth Parliament of Great Britain, some of which address the increasing instability in the American colonies. Most notable for the history of the early years of the American Revolution is the "Prohibitory Act" (Cap. V), which prohibited all British trade with the American colonies and removed them from royal protection. This followed and expanded on an Act from the previous year prohibiting trade with Boston alone; Britain effectively declared economic warfare on the colonies. This was addressed in Grievance 23 in the Declaration of Independence: "He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us." In a letter to Horatio Gates, John Adams wrote: "It is a compleat Dismemberment of the British Empire. It throws thirteen Colonies out of the Royal Protection, levels all Distinctions and makes us independent in Spight of all our supplications and Entreaties. It may be fortunate that the Act of Independency should come from the British Parliament, rather than the American Congress: But it is very odd that Americans should hesitate at accepting Such a Gift from them" (March 23, 1776). Two other important acts allow the King to call out the militia in all cases of rebellion anywhere in the realm (Cap. III) and to punish desertion and mutiny among British forces in America (Cap. XI). Also of note is an Act promising a reward for anyone who discovered the Northwest Passage (Cap. VI). Parliament had already offered a reward of £20,000 for the discovery of a passage through the "Hudson Streights," but this act expands the conditions to any ship navigating a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in either direction - with a further £5000 prize for reaching within one degree of the North Pole. Other Acts show that, despite the revolution in the American colonies, there was still the rest of the realm to govern. Thus, Acts extending existing duties on malt and cider are included, as are those for rebuilding a church, improving roads and bridges, and establishing foot patrols to enhance public safety. These Acts were issued separately and collectively, but the register and pagination are continuous for both. A complete list of the Acts included, with pagination and ESTC references, follows: CAP. I. AN ACT FOR CONTINUING AND GRANTING TO HIS MAJESTY CERTAIN DUTIES UPON MALT, MUM, CYDER, AND PERRY. [1]-47pp. ESTC N57592. CAP. II. AN ACT FOR PUNISHING MUTINY AND DESERTION; AND FOR THE BETTER PAYMENT OF THE ARMY AND THEIR QUARTERS. pp.[49]-100. ESTC N57593. CAP. III. AN ACT TO ENABLE HIS MAJESTY FOR A LIMITED TIME TO CALL OUT AND ASSEMBLE THE MILITIA IN ALL CASES OF REBELLION WITHIN THIS REALM OF GREAT BRITAIN, OR ANY OF THE DOMINIONS THEREUNTO BELONGING; AND TO SUMMON THE PARLIAMENT IN THE CASES AND MANNER THEREIN MENTIONED. pp.[101]-104. ESTC N57594. CAP. IV. AN ACT FOR GRANTING AN AID TO HIS MAJESTY BY A LAND TAX, TO BE RAISED IN GREAT BRITAIN. pp.[105]-210. ESTC N57595. CAP. V. AN ACT TO PROHIBIT ALL TRADE AND INTERCOURSE WITH THE COLONIES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSET'S [sic] BAY, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENSYLVANIA [sic], THE THREE LOWER COUNTIES ON DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GEORGIA, DURING THE CONTINUANCE OF THE PRESENT REBELLION WITHIN THE SAID COLONIES RESPECTIVELY. pp.215-244. (lacking blank and general titlepage). ESTC N54720. Also issued in Dublin, see ESTC N63040. CAP. VI. AN ACT FOR GIVING A PUBLICK REWARD UNTO SUCH PERSON OR PERSONS, BEING HIS MAJESTY'S SUBJECT OR SUBJE. N° de ref. del artículo WRCAM55508
Contactar al vendedor
Denunciar este artículo
