Leadership

26 COBBETT, William. Life of Andrew Jackson, President of the United States. London: Published at 11, Bolt-Court, Fleet-Street; and may be had of all booksellers, 1834 First edition of this adulatory account of President Jackson, written by the radical British MP William Cobbett, published the year before Cobbett died, after a lifetime spent campaigning for abolition of rotten boroughs, lowering of taxes, and reversing enclosures, all culminating in his major influence on the passing of the Great Reform Act two years prior. Cobbett’s populist streak led him to be a great admirer of Andrew Jackson, “the bravest and greatest man now living in this world, or that ever has lived in this world, as far as my knowledge extends”, as he declares in his prefatory “dedication to the working people of Ireland”. Cobbett believed that Jackson, born of Irish parents, provided a model for the ill-treated Irish to avenge their wrongs, and hoped his book would show the way. Appropriately, this copy was once owned by another radical British MP, Labour Party leader Michael Foot, with his pencilled ownership signature on the front free endpaper. Octavo. Original purple quarter cloth, remnants of printed label to spine, drab paper sides. Housed in a custom brown cloth solander box by Riviere & Son. Engraved frontispiece; 12-page “Cobbett Library” catalogue at rear. Contemporary ownership signature and inscription of John Thompson on front endpapers; later bookplate of Oliver Brett (1881–1963), 3rd Viscount Esher, on front pastedown. Front inner hinge a little tender but holding, pp. 107–110 reinserted; a very good copy. ¶ Pearl 207. £750 [144939] 27 COBDEN, Richard. Autograph letter signed to Sir William Molesworth, proposing a national campaign for the secret ballot. 2 September 1837 “the result of the elections has brought to light such a mass of fraud, violence & degradation” In the immediate aftermath of the July–August 1837 General Election, where the parliamentary share held by liberals and reformers was weakened, the reformer Richard Cobden (1804– 1868) writes at length to the radical Member of Parliament Sir William Molesworth (1810–1855), calling Molesworth to cooperate in a national campaign for the introduction of a secret ballot, following the abuses of the election.

25 CLINTON, Bill. My Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004 presentation copy to his friend judy collins, with a signed letter First edition, first printing, presentation copy to the folk music icon Judy Collins, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To my friend Judy Collins with thanks – Bill Clinton”, additionally signed by Collins with a heart, together with a typed letter signed by Clinton. The letter, on Clinton’s letterhead dated 1 May 2013, reads: “Dear Judy: Happy birthday! I hope this year will be full of happiness, health, and fulfillment”, hand signed “Bill”, with the additional postscript “we love you” beneath. Collins is a close friend of the Clinton family, and one of Bill Clinton’s favourite singers; she performed at Clinton’s first inauguration ball in 1993, as well as at several campaign fundraisers. Her recording of Joni Mitchell’s song “Chelsea Morning” was the inspiration behind the Clintons naming their daughter Chelsea, one of the dedicatees of this book. Collins once reminisced: “For eight years . . . I went in and out of the White House like I owned it. I would stay up and talk to Bill until 2:30 in the morning and think, ‘My God, when is this man going to let me get to bed?’” (quoted in Smith). Octavo. Original blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt. With dust jacket. With 32 plates. A fine copy in near-fine jacket with light creases at extremities. ¶ Coleen Smith, “Judy Blue Eyes on Clinton, kittens and a naked album cover”, The Denver Post , 4 December 2008, available online. £2,500 [122796]

LEADERSHIP

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