GEORGE III (1738-1820, King of Great Britain)

Fine document signed at the head, printed with manuscript details, appointing Richard Ward to be "Captain of Dragoons in Our Army", countersigned by "Dunk HALIFAX" (George Montague-Dunk, 1716-1771, 2nd Earl of Halifax, uncle of Lord North), as a Secretary of State, and by the Hon. Robert WALPOLE (d. 1810, Clerk of the Privy Council, Ambassador to Portugal), for the War office, vellum, 1 side oblong folio with papered seal and revenue stamp, Court at St James's, 17th November

Dunk Halifax, 'the Father of the Colonies', was 1st Lord of Trade, 1748-1761, promoting Nova Scotia, whose capital is named after him (1749), as are counties in Virginia and North Carolina. In 1741 he married the heiress of Sir Thomas Dunk. In 1763 he signed the famous 'Dunk Warrant' to search and apprehend the authors, printers and publishers of Wilkes 'North Briton', No. 45. After the officers arrested 18 people and seized a vast quantity of papers, the warrant was pronounced by the judges to be 'unreasonable search and seizure', and Halifax was mulcted in damages. It has been called 'the most important warrant in Anglo-American law', and the doctine overturning it is closely related to the Fourth Amendment.
Robert Walpole's father was Horatio, 1st Baron Walpole of Wolterton, brother of the Prime Minister.

Item Date:  1762

Stock No:  51577      £750

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