Description
[004085] [Adam, William]. Speech of William Adam, Esq. On the 6th of April, 1810, on Mr. Lethbridge’s Motion Respecting Sir Francis Burdett Etc. Etc. London: J. Ridgway, 1810. First Edition. 8vo. Hardback. Pamphlet. Good+. [5], 2-107pp, [1]. Bound in modern cloth, title and date in gilt to spine
Small amount of loss to bottom corner of half-title, sporadic light foxing (mainly to signatures L and M), lightly browned throughout, but generally fairly clean
Burdett, “who presented the Westminster reform petition, 9 Feb., and opposed Wellington’s annuity, 16 Feb., was unwell on 21 Feb. when John Gale Jones, the radical publicist, was committed to Newgate for breach of privilege in challenging the right of the House to exclude strangers. He revived the issue, 12 Mar., by moving for his release and denouncing the use of privilege as an offensive weapon, but he secured only 14, mostly reluctant votes. Cobbett’s Political Register of 24 Mar. 1810 reprinted his speech and prefaced it with an address to his constituents impugning the House for illegal exercise of its privilege. Ministers welcomed the issue as a diversion from the Walcheren question and, with their connivance, Thomas Buckler Lethbridge moved on 27 Mar. that Burdett was in breach of privilege. He stood by his address, but the debate was adjourned. On 30 Mar. he supplemented his support for the Whig resolutions on Walcheren with a further call for reform. He was found guilty of a breach of privilege, 5 Apr., and on the motion of Sir Robert Salusbury, carried by 190 votes to 152, was ordered to be sent to the Tower. On 6 Apr. he gave the serjeant-at-arms, who called with the Speaker’s warrant, the impression that he would go peaceably into custody, but when the serjeant, reprimanded by Abbot, returned later the same day to effect the arrest, Burdett told him that he had written to the Speaker to dispute the legality of the warrant and that he would submit only to force. He barricaded himself in his Piccadilly house over the weekend and serious disturbances occurred when troops clashed with the crowds which had assembled under the encouragement of Place and the Westminster radicals. He was taken by force on 9 Apr., when Lord Boringdon commented that ‘yesterday was the most anxious day London has known since 1780” (History of Parliament Online)
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