Dear Wynn
I have written to Rickman to say I
shall set out on Sunday if it be convenient to him to
receive me at that time. his answer has not yet arrived but
– if you do not hear from me by Mondays post — you may
expect to see me on Monday morning. The coach will be in
about nine or ten I suppose, & as soon as I have
cleansed & breakfasted I shall proceed to Lincolns
Inn.
The difference between a tax on paper [1] & one immediately upon new books is
very great. what I propose is a stamp. & can fall only
upon the buyer – the paper duty fell at first in the gross
sum upon the bookseller, & was an actual loss to him for
all the copies that remained unsold – besides requiring such
an advance of first expence it often deterrd him from
publishing. a stamp has none of these objections.
The new militia [2] is indeed stark folly. there seems to be a
fatality attending all oppositions in this country. they
seem destined to be always in the right & never to be
attended to. God help us! bad weather – the ship heavily
laden & such a pilot! [3]
RS.
Friday.
Notes
* Address: To/ C W Williams Wynn Esqr. M.P./ Lincolns Inn/
London
Postmarks: FREE/ JUN 24/ 1803; [partial] JUN
24 1803
Endorsements: June 25/ 1803; Mr Wynn
MS: National Library of Wales, MS
4811D
Unpublished. BACK
[1] An excise duty on
paper was introduced in 1712 and not repealed until
1861. BACK
[2] The Army of Reserve Acts (1803) provided
for a new Army of Reserve to defend Britain from
invasion. If any parish could not provide enough
volunteers there was a ballot of all the adult male
parishioners. The government also called for a new
volunteer force to harass any invading French
army. BACK
[3] Henry Addington, Viscount Sidmouth
(1757-1844; DNB), Prime Minister
1801-1804, Home Secretary 1812-1822. BACK
