“E’en by the elements his power confessed,
Of mines and boroughs Lonsdale stands possessed;
And one sad servitude alike denotes
The slaves that labour and the slave that votes.”
(Rolliad.)
The political clubs renewed their clamours for a more extended system of representation freed from corruption, and protested against Pitt’s new enactments; the London Corresponding Society called another public meeting, at which the premier is said to have shown symptoms of alarm. Gillray’s engraving of a meeting of “Patriotic Citizens at Copenhagen House,” November 16, 1795, satirizes the order of agitators and their disciples as the dregs of the people, which he represents them to be. This demonstration, which was largely attended, was held to protest against the “Seditions Bill” for the protection of the king’s person, for which, it was argued, ample provisions were already legalized. Petitions to both Houses were prepared, and remonstrances numerously signed.
This situation is embodied in the picture of the assembly. The orator, Thelwall, is holding forth to an audience which is more picturesque than distinguished. Platforms are arranged at intervals as rostrums for the speakers, at one of which a butcher is enlarging on “The Rights of Citizens.” The proprietress of a halfpenny gaming-table has labelled it, “Equality and no Sedition Bill.” An emissary of Thelwall’s is offering the remonstrance to sweep-boys for signature; and the autographs attached thereto, though notorious, are hardly such as to command the respect of parliament—“Jack Cade, Wat Tyler, Jack Straw, etc.”
After the elections of 1784 parliament was entirely in the control of Pitt. It met, wrote Horace Walpole, “as quietly as a Quarter Session,” the opposition seemed quelled, or driven to despair.
The meeting at Copenhagen House failed to accomplish its purpose, and further protests were entered against the Seditions Bill “for the better protection of the king’s person,” which was carried in the House by large majorities; this repressive measure provided that no gathering exceeding fifty persons should take place, even in a private house, without previous information had been laid before a magistrate, who might attend, and, if he saw cause, order the meeting to disperse, while those who resisted would be guilty of felony. In the face of such unconstitutional interference, fresh hostility sprang up throughout the land; and there being anticipations of an appeal to the country, the opposition endeavoured to present a bold front before the constituencies in view of that event; one of these meetings was summoned by the Sheriff of Middlesex, inviting the freeholders to assemble at the Mermaid, Hackney; this gathering has been commemorated by Gillray. The object of the meeting was to obtain a repeal of the obnoxious Seditions Bill, which, as the artist shows, the Whig member, George Byng, is vigorously denouncing from the platform; it was at the same time proposed to prepare an “Address to the King,” and Mr. Mainwaring, the ministerial representative, is, with Jesuitical expression, deprecating hostility both to the Government and to their oppressive legislation, Fox is holding the hat of his oratorical disciple, Byng. It was on this occasion that the sturdy Duke of Norfolk, who raised the royal ire by proposing as a toast in a public assembly, “The Majesty of the People,” took occasion to warn those who valued the liberty of the subject that they must not be misled by the specious titles of the bill.
MEETING OF PATRIOTIC CITIZENS AT COPENHAGEN HOUSE, 1795. SPEAKERS: THELWALL, GALE JONES, HODSON, AND JOHN BINNS. BY JAMES GILLRAY.
“I tell you, Citizens, we mean to new dress the Constitution, and turn it, and set a new Nap upon it.”
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