“I am a plain Englishman. I approve of the conduct of Sir Murray Maxwell in coming forward as he has done. Why should you send Sir Samuel Romilly to Parliament? He can find his way into the Den of Corruption. You know the hero of the Tower, as well as I do—who ran out at the back door when his friends were waiting for him at the front. I have hoisted the Cap of Liberty!”
The followers of the speaker are shouting, “Hunt for ever! no Sovereigns, no Regents, no Churches, no Lawyers! Universal Plunder for ever! No Sham Patriots. Hunt and Liberty. Hunt and Revolution.” Sir Francis Burdett comes next, beside the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird and Major Cartwright; these candidates are variously received. “Burdett for ever!—No Weathercocks. No Coalition. The Spenceans for ever! Napoleon for ever! Burdett for ever! No Spafields Rioters.” “Kinnaird for ever!” “Cartwright for ever! No old woman in Parliament.” Sir Samuel Romilly is standing beside the poll on which the results of the first day’s votings are recorded. The cries for “Romilly and Justice,” “Romilly and Reform,” indicate a popular candidate. Sir Murray Maxwell is a prominent figure, and is represented in the full swing of his eloquence; like Hunt, he is disposed to be a courteous opponent:—
“Gentlemen,—Mr. Hunt is anxious you should hear me now. I am certain you will hear him presently with pleasure. I am certain my cause is as popular as his; for I see many pretty girls pressing forward to hear me. Of all the days in the year, none appear more favourable for a British officer to receive your support than the anniversary of Waterloo.”
“Maxwell and the British Navy! Let every man do his duty!” is shouted; while hostile voices cry, “No Maxwell—no Captain Flog-’em.” A notice-board, capped by the crown, sets forth the merits of this candidate:—
“Who is Sir M. Maxwell? He is a brave, learned, loyal, and Constitutional man. He hoists only the colours of his King and country—not the red flag. He has engaged to pay his share of the Hustings to prevent new levies on the people.”
Sir S. Romilly (W) headed the poll with 5339 votes; Sir Francis Burdett was a good second with 5238; Sir Murray Maxwell, the unsuccessful candidate, polled 4808: the others were “nowhere”—Hunt, 84; Kinnaird, 65; Cartwright, 23.
HUNT, A RADICAL REFORMER.
In the same spirit the satirists regarded as fair game for their shafts of ridicule the new political section which had seceded from the Whig party as being behind the age; these were the “root-and-branch reformers,” who, from their electing to call themselves Radical reformers, obtained the party designation of “Radicals.” The orator Hunt is travestied in this guise.
The general turbulence of the times at this precise period is graphically pictured in “The Law’s Delay.”