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Lot #449
Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax

"I am not the least afraid of Italy or of any other power I know of in the world"

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Estimate: $400+
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Description

"I am not the least afraid of Italy or of any other power I know of in the world"

Senior British Conservative politician of the 1930s (1881-1959) who held several senior ministerial posts during this time, most notably those of Viceroy of India from 1925 to 1931 and of Foreign Secretary between 1938 and 1940; on Neville Chamberlain's resignation early in May 1940, Halifax effectively declined the position of Prime Minister as he felt that Churchill would be a more suitable war leader. Uncommon typescript, signed “Halifax,” a portion of the speech that Lord Halifax gave to the House of Lords on February 24, 1936, headed “I am not afraid of any Power,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, embossed Foreign Office letterhead. In full: “’I am not the least afraid of Italy or of any other power I know of in the world. I am not afraid of war in the sense that I fear defeat, because I know the temper of this country, I know that this country would never embark on war unless it thought it both right and inevitable, and I also know that, having embarked on war, it would not let go until, as usual, it had won. All that I know. But I, with everybody else, detest war as any man of memory or imagination or natural affection or even ordinary common-sense must detest it, for the horrors that it brings and the havoc to human lives and human civilization.’” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope and transmittal letter from Foreign Office secretary, dated June 10, 1938.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts
  • Dates: #583 - Ended May 13, 2020





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