“I’ve just learned, by the porter who stands at my door,
That your old friend, Sir Charles, means to offer no more.”
G. Cruikshank has supplied the pictorial embellishments. Sir Claudius Hunter, the canvassing candidate, is standing in the stirrups of his famous charger, “White Surrey,” mounted on the platform, attended by masked horsemen, and squired by a dilapidated knight in armour, who has evidently seen overmuch service. The candidate is thus addressing the civic constituency: “Gentleman, I earnestly solicit your vote and interest for me and my horse.” This appeal the electors receive with derision, “No, no; you may saddle White Surrey for Cheapside if you like, but not for the House,” “Off, off,” etc.
This electioneering squib was probably preceded by another, also designed by G. Cruikshank (published April 10, 1812). In this version, entitled, “Saddle White Surrey for Cheapside to-morrow—W. Lon. Mil. Regt. [West London Militia Regiment], General Orders,” Sir Claudius, mounted on his steed, is making, like a true knight-errant, a quixotic charge upon his constituents, preceded by the woeful man-in-armour, like Sancho Panza, on an ass; he is charging the throng with his lance. A groom behind Sir Claudius is exclaiming, “This is our High-bred Hunter!”
In 1812, G. Cruikshank found fresh exercise for his etching-needle on another electioneering cartoon—“The Borough Candidates,” published October 1812. Suggestions of Gillray will be identified in this plate, for the artist is dealing with Charles Calvert, the brewer, who was elected for Southwark with H. Thornton, in opposition to W. J. Burdett; the new member is seated astride a barrel of his own brewing, the “stingo” is pouring forth from spigot and vent-peg. The discomfited candidates are figured on either side; while the heads of the brewer’s constituents appear in front.
Elections happily brought both food and occupation to the caricaturists and satirists, as it has been shown. Incidents connected with this subject evidently caught the popular taste, for we find Cruikshank making the most of the mere title, in association with the etching of a somewhat commonplace presentment of a country assembly-room, conveying no flattering impression of the provincial grace and deportment of the period; this was published in 1813—as “An Election Ball:” the floor is occupied by knock-kneed dancers doddering through figures, while the master of the ceremonies is shouting his instructions to the leader of the band, elevated in an orchestra overhead.
The artist evidently found this topic remunerative, for in 1819 he produced a smaller version of “An Election Ball”—a similar subject, with the arrangement of the room reversed; a country dance is proceeding with “hands across;” the clumsy master of the ceremonies, who is pigeon-toed, stands viewing the scene with evident gratification. This plate reappeared, with a new publisher’s name, in 1835 (republished by Thomas McLean, Haymarket).
| Hunt. | Burdett. | Cartwright. | Sir S. Romilly. | Sir M. Maxwell. |
THE FREEDOM OF ELECTION; OR, HUNT-ING FOR POPULARITY, AND PLUMPERS FOR MAXWELL. 1818. BY G. AND R. CRUIKSHANK.
Both Robert and George Cruikshank were working away on the popular side of the Westminster election contest, June 18, 1818. “The Freedom of Election; or, Hunting for Popularity, and Plumpers for Maxwell,” published June 22, 1818, owes its origin to this combination of talent. In the caricature, the candidates and their most prominent supporters are mounted on the Covent Garden hustings, of which a front view is given. Hunt stands hat in hand (he and Sir Francis Burdett sport “favours”); the Radical reformer is backed by his colours, his flag proclaims “Universal Suffrage and Liberty;” the standard is surmounted by a cap of liberty. Hunt is making a characteristically downright appeal to his audience:—