1898 signed letter ex Sir Edw Carson Irish Unionist MP who defeated Oscar Wilde.

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Original letter from Sir Edward Carson (Lord Carson) who was an extremely important Unionist MP, who's larger than life statue (erected during his life) stands in front of the Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont. He was leader of the Irish Unionist Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party and was one of the very few non-Royal people to ever receive a British state funeral. In 1895, he was engaged by the Marquess of Queensberry to lead his defence against Oscar Wilde's action for criminal libel. Queensberry, angered by Wilde's affair with his son Lord Alfred Douglas, had accused the writer of being a "posing sodomite". The trial was a global sensation and was eventually abandoned by Wilde when Carson announced in his opening speech for the defence that he planned to call several male prostitutes who would testify that they'd had sex with Wilde. The case resulted in Oscar Wilde's bankruptcy and led the way to him being prosecuted for gross indecency. The letter, on both sides of the printed notepaper of his legal office, was sent to "Sir Thomas Butler" regarding an application for an appointment as Inspector of Schools in England. One edge of the letter is rather ragged, where it was stuck into an old autograph book. The letter measures about 4.5 x 7 inches and has been folded in two. It is sold together with a nice contemporary read more

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