“A friend to freedom and freeholders—yet
No less a friend to government—he held
That he exactly the just medium hit
’Twixt place and patriotism; albeit compell’d,
Such was his sovereign’s pleasure (though unfit,
He added modestly, when rebels rail’d),
To hold some sinecures he wish’d abolish’d,
But that with them all law would be demolish’d.”
Lord Byron.
PREFACE.
Apart from political parties, we are all concerned in that important national birthright, the due representation of the people. It will be conceded that the most important element of Parliaments—specially chosen to embody the collective wisdom of the nation—is the legitimate method of their constitution. Given the unrestricted rights of election, a representative House of Commons is the happy result; the opposite follows a tampering with the franchise, and debauched constituencies. The effects of bribery, intimidation, undue influence, coercion on the part of the Crown or its responsible advisers, an extensive system of personal patronage, boroughmongering, close or pocket boroughs, and all those contraband devices of old to hamper the popular choice of representatives, have inevitably produced a legislature more or less corrupt, as history has registered. Bad as were the workings of the electoral system anterior to the advent of parliamentary reform, it speaks volumes for the manly nature of British electors and their representatives that Parliaments thus basely constituted were, on the whole, fairly honest, nor unmindful altogether of those liberties of the subject they were by supposition elected to maintain; and when symptoms of corruption in the Commons became patent, the degeneracy was not long countenanced, the national spirit being sufficiently vigorous to crush the threatened evils, and bring about a healthier state of things.
The comprehensive subject of parliamentary elections is rich in interest and entertainment; the history of the rise, progress, and development of the complex art of electioneering recommends itself to the attention of all who have an interest in the features inseparable from that constitution which has been lauded as a model for other nations to imitate. The strong national characteristics surrounding, in bygone days, the various stages of parliamentary election—peculiarly a British institution, in which, of all people, our countrymen were most at home—are now, by an improved elective procedure, relegated to the limbo of the past, while the records of electioneering exist but as traditions in the present.
With the modifying influence of progress, and a more advanced civilisation, the time may come when the narrative of the robustious scenes of canvassing, polling, chairing, and election-feasting, with their attendant incidents of all-prevailing bribery, turbulence, and intrigue, may be regarded with incredulity as fictions of an impossible age.
It has been endeavoured to give the salient features of the most remarkable election contests, from the time when seats began to be sought after until comparatively recent days. The “Spendthrift Elections,” remarkable in the annals of parliamentary and party warfare, are set down, with a selection from the literature, squibs, ballads, and broadsides to which they gave rise. The illustrations are selected from the pictorial satires produced contemporaneously upon the most famous electoral struggles. The materials, both literary and graphic, are abundant, but scattered; it is hoped that both entertainment and enlightenment may be afforded to a tolerant public by the writer’s efforts to bring these resources within the compass of a volume.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
| The assembling of parliaments—Synopsis of parliamentary history—Ordersfor the attendance of members—Qualifications for thefranchise: burgesses, burgage-tenures, scot and lot, pot-wallopers,faggot-votes, splitting—Disqualifications: alms, charity,“faggots,” “occasionality”—Election of knights of the shire, andburgesses—Outlines of an election in the Middle Ages—QueenElizabeth and her faithful Commons—An early instance of buyinga seat in the Commons—Returns vested in the municipal corporations;“Money makes the mayor to go”—Privileges of parliament—“Knightsgirt with a sword”—Inferior standing of the citizensand burgesses sent to Parliament—Reluctance of early constituenciesto sending representatives to parliament—Paid members—Memberschosen and nominated by the “great families”—TheEarl of Essex nominating his partisans and servants—Exemptionfrom sending representatives to the Commons esteemed a privilege—Thegrowth of legislative and electoral independence—Thebeginning of “contested elections”—Coercion at elections—Lords-lieutenantcalling out the train-bands for purposes of intimidation—Earlyviolence—Nugæ Antiquæ; the election of a Harringtonfor Bath, 1658-9; the present of a horse to paid members—Themethod of election for counties, cities, and boroughs—Relationsof representatives with their constituents—The “wages” ofmembers of parliament—“Extracts from the Proceedings of LynnRegis”—An account rendered to the burgesses—The civil wars—Peersreturned for the Commons in the Long Parliament afterthe abolition of the House of Lords. | 1 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| Influence of administration under Charles I.—Ballad on the Commonwealth—Houseof Commons: “A General Sale of RebelliousHousehold Stuff”—The Parliament under the Restoration—Pepysand Prynne on the choosing of “knights of the shire”—Burgessessent up at the discretion of the sheriffs—The king’swrit—Evils attending the cessation of wages to parliamentaryrepresentatives—Andrew Marvell’s ballad on a venal House ofCommons—The parliament waiting on the king—Charles II.and his Commons—“Royal Resolutions,” and disrespect for theCommons—The Earl of Rochester on Charles II.’s parliament—Interferencein elections—Independence of legislators versus paidmembers—The Peers as “born legislators and councillors”—“ThePensioner Parliament” coincident with the remission ofsalaries to members of the Commons—“An Historical Poem,” byAndrew Marvell—Andrew Marvell as a paid member; his kindlyrelations with his Hull constituents—Writ for recovering arrearsof parliamentary wages—Uncertainty of calling another parliament—TheDuke of Buckingham’s intrigues with the Roundheads;his “Litany”—Degradation of parliament—Parody ofthe king’s speech—Relations of Charles II. and his Commons—Summaryof Charles II.’s parliaments—Petitioners, addressers,and Abhorrers—The right of petitioning the throne—The ConventionParliament—The Long Cavalier Parliament—The PensionerParliament and the statute against corruption—“The ChequerInn”—“The Parliament House to be let”—The Habeas CorpusParliament—The country preparing for Charles II.’s fourthparliament—Election ballads: “The Poll,”—Origin of the factionsof Whigs and Tories—Whig and Tory ballads—“A Tory ina Whig’s Coat”—“A Litany from Geneva,” in answer to “ALitany from St. Omer”—The Oxford Parliament of eight days—“TheStatesman’s Almanack”—A group of parliamentary electionballads, 1679-80—Ballad on the Essex petitions—The Earl ofShaftesbury’s “Protestant Association”—“A Hymn exalting theMobile to Loyalty”—The Buckingham ballad—Bribery by SirRichard “Timber” Temple—The Wiltshire ballad—“Old Sarum”—Petitionsagainst prerogative—The royal pretensions to absolutemonarchy—The “Tantivies,” or upholders of absolute kinglyrights over Church and State—“Plain Dealing; or, a Dialoguebetween Humphrey and Roger, as they were returning homefrom choosing Knights of the Shire to sit in Parliament, 1681;”“Hercules Rideing”—“A Speech without-doors, made by a Plebeianto his Noble Friends”—Philippe de Comines on the British Constitution—Onfreedom of speech—A true Commonwealth—The excitedstate of parties at the summoning of the Oxford Parliament, 1681—Balladson the Oxford Parliament—The impeachment of Fitz-Harris,and the proposal of the opposition to exclude the Duke ofYork from the “Protestant succession”—Squabble on privilegebetween the Peers and Commons—The Oxford Parliament dismissed,after eight days, on this pretence—“The Ghost of theLate Parliament to the New One to meet at Oxford”—“On Parliamentremoving from London to Oxford”—“On his Majesty’s dissolvingthe late Parliament at Oxford”—A “Weeked” Parliament. | 22 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| Electioneering on the accession of James II.—A parliament summonedby James II.—The municipal charters restored in the nature ofbribes—Lord Bath, “the Prince Elector,” and his progress in thewest—Electioneering strategies—How Sir Edward Evelyn wasunjustly cozened out of his election—The constitution of JamesII.’s Parliament—Inferior persons “of no account whatever”chosen to sit in the Commons—The question of supplies, the royalrevenue, and prerogative—Assembling of James II.’s parliament—Thecorrupt returns boldly denounced—Violence at the elections—Theabdication of James II., and the “Convention Parliament”—Accessionof the Prince of Orange—Ballad “On the Calling ofa Free Parliament, Jan. 15, 1678-9”—Ballads on William III.’sParliament: “The Whigs’ Address to his Majesty,” 1689; “ThePatriots,” 1700—An election under William III., for the City ofLondon—“The Election, a Poem,” 1701; the electors, theGuildhall, the candidates; Court-schemers versus patriotic representatives;and “the liberties of the people” versus the “surrenderedCharters”—Electioneering under Queen Anne—TheHigh Church party—“The University Ballad; or, the Church’sAdvice to her Two Daughters, Oxford and Cambridge,” 1705—Whigsand “Tackers”—The Nonconformity Bill—MotherChurch promises to “wipe the Whigs’ nose”—The “case of Ashbyand White,” and the dispute thereon between the Lords andCommons—Breaches of privilege—“Jacks,” “Tacks,” and the“Occasional Conformity Bill”—Ballad: “The Old Tack and theNew,” 1712—The Act against bribery—Past-masters of the artof electioneering—Thomas, Marquis of Wharton; his electionfeats, and genius for canvassing-Election, 1705—“Dyer’s Letters”—Receptionof a High Church “Tantivy” candidate—Discomfitureof the “Sneakers”—Lord Woodstock’s electioneering ruseat Southampton, 1705—“For the Queen and Church, Packington”—DeanSwift on election disturbances in Queen Anne’s reign—SirRichard Steele’s mishap when a candidate for election—Steele’sparliamentary career—“The Englishman” and “TheCrisis”—Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, an accomplished handat electioneering—Her ruse against Lord Grimston—“Love in aHollow Tree”—Dr. Johnson on scandals revived at election-time—Failureof the High Church party to bring in the Chevalier—Theaccession of George I., and the Tory discomfiture—“TheWhigs’ answer to the Tories”—The Jacobite and Hanoverianfactions—Ballads upon “Nancy,” “the Chevalier,” and George ofHanover, 1716—The disaffected and their hatred to Sir RobertWalpole—Ballad: “King James’s Declaration”—The abortiveJacobite rising in 1715—Ballad: “The Right and True History ofPerkin”—The end of Perkin’s attempt. | 56 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| Sir Robert Walpole “chaired” on his election for Castle Rising,1701—“Robin’s Progress”—Walpole in Parliament—His offices—Impeachedby the Commons for corruption on the death ofGeorge, Prince of Denmark—Returned for King’s Lynn—Firmlyestablished in power on the accession of George I.—“A Tory Billof Costs for an Election in the West, 1715”—The SeptennialAct, 1716—The elections of 1721—Walpole’s “universal salve”—“TheElection carried by Bribery and the Devil,” 1721—Municipalcorruption—Ballad: “Here’s a Minion sent down to aCorporate Town”—The elections of 1727—“Ready Money, thePrevailing Candidate; or, the Humours of an Election,” 1727—“Nobribery, but pockets are free”—Ballad: “The Laws againstBribery Provision may make”—“The Kentish Election, 1734”—“TheCountry Interest” versus “the Protestant Interest”—Vaneand Dering versus Middlesex and Oxenden—Vane’s treat to hiselectors—Walpole paraded in effigy—Hogarth’s design on theelection of 1734: Sir Robert Fagg—“The Humours of a CountryElection,” 1734—The first suggestion for Hogarth’s series of fourelection prints—Plays, operas, and poems on elections—The oathimposed upon electors—“A New-year’s Gift to the Electors ofGreat Britain,” 1741—“The flood of corruption”—Walpole, as“The Devil upon Two Sticks,” carried through the “Slough ofDespond,” 1741—“A Satire on Election Proceedings,” dedicated to“Mayors and Corporations in general,” 1741—Walpole’s lease ofpower threatened—Satirical version of Walpole’s “Coat of Arms”—TheWestminster election of 1741—Wager and Sundon versusVernon and Edwin—A patriotic “Address to the Independentand Worthy Electors” of Westminster, 1741—Royal canvassers—“Sceneat the Westminster Election,” 1741—Lord Sundon callsin the grenadiers to close the poll—The Westminster Petition, 1741—Anew election—Wager and Sundon unseated; Edwin andPercival returned—Admiral Vernon and Porto Bello—“TheFuneral of Independency,” 1741—“The Triumph of Justice,”1741—Walpole defeated—“The Banner of Liberty displayed,”1741—A ministerial mortification—Ballads upon the Westminsterelection of 1741—“The Independent Westminster Electors’ Toast”—“TheDownfall of Sundon and Wager”—“The IndependentWestminster Choice”—“The True English-Boys’ Song to Vernon’sGlory”—Triumph of the “Country party” or “Patriots”—“TheBody of Independent Electors of Westminster” constituted intoa society—Their anniversary dinners—A dinner-ticket, 1744—TheStuart rising of 1745—Lord Lovat’s trial—Meeting of “The IndependentElectors of the City and Liberty of Westminster” atVintners’ Hall, March, 1747—Jacobite toasts—“The Spy detected:”ejectment of a ministerial spy from Vintners’ Hall—The state ofparties at the Westminster election, 1747—Earl Gower and hisson, Lord Trentham—Falling-off of the Independent party—Trenthamand Warren versus Clarges and Dyke—“The Two-ShillingButcher,” 1747—The Duke of Cumberland and the Princeof Wales as rival canvassers—The Duke of Bedford’s support ofLord Trentham—“The Jaco-Independo-Rebello-Plaido”—“TheHumours of the Westminster Election; or, the Scald MiserableIndependent Electors in the Suds,” 1747—Jacobite vagaries—“GreatBritain’s Union; or, the Litchfield Races,” 1747—TheJacobite rebellion—Political animosities carried on to the race-course—AlternateWhig and Tory race meetings—The Duke ofBedford horsewhipped at the Litchfield races on WhittingtonHeath—Ballad on the fracas: “The Lords’ Lamentation; or, theWhittington Defeat,” 1747—Trentham versus Vandeput, 1749—Thefracas at the Haymarket Theatre—Frenchified Lord Trentham’sdeadly attack on his own electors—Gallic valour and theAdmiralty Board—Ballad: “Peg Trim Tram in the Suds; or, NoFrench Strollers,” 1749—“Britannia Disturbed, or an Invasionby French Vagrants, addressed to the Worthy Electors ofthe City of Westminster,” 1749—Violence and bribery—“AuxElecteurs très dignes de Westminster”—The Duke of Bedford’soppression and injustice to his tenants—Hogarth’s print of “ACountry Inn-yard at the Time of an Election,” 1747—The Hon.John Child—“No Old Baby.” | 78 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| The Pelham Administration—Corruption rife—“The Duke of Newcastleas the Complete Vermin-Catcher of Great Britain; or, theOld Trap new baited,” 1754—Ministerial bribes and baits—Boroughmongering—“Dissectionof a Dead Member (of Parliament)”—Amass of corruption—Henry Pelham’s measures—TheJews’ Naturalization Bill, 1753—Death of Pelham—“His Arrivalat his Country Retirement and Reception,” 1754—Pelham’s receptionacross the Styx—The elections of 1754—Humours ofcanvassing—The election for the City of London: “The Liveryman’sLevee,” 1754—“The City Up and Down; or, the CandidatesPois’d,” 1754—City candidates: Sir John Barnard, SlingsbyBethell, William Beckford, Sir Richard Glyn, Sir Robert Ladbroke,Sir Crispe Gascoyne, and Sir William Calvert—Sir SampsonGideon, the loan contractor, and “The Jews’ Naturalization Bill”—“AStir in the City; or, Some Folks at Guildhall,” 1754—Balladon the City election at the Guildhall—“The ParliamentaryRace; or, the City Jockies,” 1754—Ballad on “The ParliamentaryRace for the City”—The London and Oxfordshire elections—“Allthe World in a Hurry; or, the Road from London toOxford,” 1754—Ballad on “The London Election”—The OxfordElection; Candidates: Wenham and Dashwood versus Turner andParker—Ballad on the Oxford election—The four election picturesby William Hogarth having reference to the county election forOxfordshire, 1754—“The Election Entertainment”—Humoursof an election feast—“The low habits of venal wretches”—“TheNew Interest” versus “The Old Interest”—Election partycries in 1754: “Give us our eleven days”—Ballad on alteration inthe style—Party animosities—“Act against Bribery”—“Kirton’sBest”—“Canvassing for Votes,” 1754—“Punch, Candidate forGuzzledown”—“The Royal Oak” versus “The Crown,” otherwise“The Excise Office”—“The Polling Booth,” Oxfordshire, 1754—Balladon the humours of polling—“Chairing the Members,” 1754—Burlesqueon Bubb Dodington—The dangers of chairing—Aministerial dinner, 1754—Hogarth’s sketches of “Bubb Dodingtonand the Earl of Winchilsea”—Murderous incidents of the Oxfordshireelection—Wrecking houses—Parliamentary interest versusplace—Hawking “marketable ware”—Diary of Bubb Dodington(Lord Melcombe Regis)—Overtures from the Pelhams—Bubb’s“parliamentary interest”—A prime minister—“Bubbling” aboroughmonger—The intriguer over-matched—The BridgwaterElection, 1754—Details of an election contest in 1754, fromDodington’s diary—The Duke of Newcastle, an arch-negotiator—Bubband his “parliamentary interest” bought for nothing—Thevitiating effects of bribery and corruption on a representativelegislature—“Burning a Prime Minister in Effigy,” 1756—Denunciationsagainst venal ministers and the vital injuries they inflicton the constitution. | 125 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| John Wilkes, the pseudo “Champion of Liberty”—W. Hogarth as apartisan—His attack on Wilkes and Churchill, the North Briton,45—Hogarth’s unfortunate political satires—“The Times,” Plate I.,1762—Lord Bute as Hogarth’s patron—“The Epistle to Hogarth,”by Churchill—“The Times,” Plate II., withheld from publication;given to the public in 1790—The demagogue tried in courtat Westminster—Hogarth’s print of “John Wilkes, a patriot”—TheNorth Briton, No. 45—Severe animadversions on Hogarthby Wilkes and Churchill—The “Bruiser,” Charles Churchill, byHogarth—His reprisal—Hogarth, Wilkes, and Churchill: “A BearLeader”—Wilkes’s illegal imprisonment on “a general warrant”—Wilkesin the Tower—“A Safe Place,” 1763—“Daniel castinto the Den of Lions; or, True Blue will never stain,” 1763—Wilkesset at liberty—His appearance in parliament, and duel—Wilkesabsconds to Paris—Is outlawed for contempt of court—Returnsfrom Paris, and contests the City of London at the generalelection, 1768—The City candidates—The nomination—The poll—Wilkesat the bottom of the poll—The adulation of the mob—Wilkes’sletter to the king—His submission to the Treasury—Wilkesa candidate for the county of Middlesex—“The Returnof Liberty,” and “Liberty revived”—The Brentford election—Violentconduct of the “Wilkes and Liberty” mob—Candidates forMiddlesex—“No. 45 N.B.”—Wilkes returned for Middlesex—Dr.Franklin on “Wilkes and the Brentford election”—“John Wilkeselected Knight of the Shire for Middlesex, March 28, 1768, bythe Free Voice of the People”—More of the “Wilkes and Liberty”riots—The mob in London—Universal turbulence—The attack onthe Mansion House—“The Laird of the Boot”—“The Rape of thePetticoat”—Lord Bute and the Princess of Wales—The OxfordMagazine on the valour of the Lord Mayor—The view takenby the Political Register—Ballad on Lord Mayor Harley’sseizure of the “Boot and Petticoat”—Surrender of Wilkes—Releasedby the rabble—His second surrender—“The Scot’sTriumph; or, a Peep behind the Curtain”—Wilkes a prisonerin the King’s Bench—The Wilkes riots in St. George’s Fields—Southwarkin a state of siege—The military under arms—Wilkes’saddress from the King’s Bench Prison, “To the Gentlemen, Clergy,and Freeholders of the County of Middlesex”—The mob demonstrationoutside the King’s Bench on the opening of parliament—TheRiot Act read—The massacre of St. George’s Fields—Thecase of William Allen, deliberately assassinated—“The ScotchVictory; murder of Allen by a Grenadier.—St. George’s Fields,1768”—The ministerial approval of the butcheries by the soldiers—JusticeGillam—The circumstances of the riot—The soldierstried—The murderer shielded from justice; his escape, and subsequentpension—Horne Tooke as a witness—He brings the guilty tojustice—The defence by the Government—“The Operation,” 1768—“Murderscreened and rewarded” | 157 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| Death of Cooke, Tory member for Middlesex, 1768—A fresh election—SerjeantGlynn, Wilkes’s advocate, a Radical candidate forthe vacant seat; opposed by Sir W. Beauchamp Proctor—Proctor’smob of hired ruffians—“The Hustings at Brentford, MiddlesexElection”, 1768—Prize-fighters employed to terrorize the electors—Dastardlyattack on the hustings—Glynn’s “Letter to the Freeholdersof Middlesex”—Proctor’s repudiation of the charge of“hiring banditti”—Horne Tooke’s “Philippic” to Proctor—Thetrue facts of the case—The circumstantial account given in theOxford Magazine—The rioters beaten off—Electioneeringmanœuvres: summoning electors as jurymen—The bruisersrecognized—Broughton engaged as generalissimo of the forces—Anexpensive contest—Glynn’s letter of acknowledgment to hisconstituents—The “Parson of Brentford”—Poetical tributes toHorne Tooke—Results of the injuries inflicted by the hired ruffians:Death of Clarke—“The Present State of Surgery; or, ModernPractice,” 1769—Trial of Clarke’s murderers—The bruisersdefended by the ministers—Found guilty, and sentenced to transportation,but receive a royal pardon and pensions for life—Partialconduct and verdict of the College of Surgeons—“A Consultationof Surgeons”—The petitions and remonstrances addressedto the Throne—Colonel Luttrell sent to parliament, though notduly elected, to represent Middlesex in place of Wilkes—An unconstitutionalvote of the Commons: “296 votes preferred to 1143”—LordBacon on the lawful power of Parliaments—The Crownand its advisers, and the odium attaching to their unconstitutionalproceedings—Servile addresses—The loyal address from the“Essex Calves”—“The Essex Procession from Chelmsford to St.James’s Market for the Good of the Common-Veal,” 1769—CharlesDingley, “the projector”—The bogus city address—“The Addressers”—Thefracas at the King’s Arms, Cornhill—A battle-royal—“TheBattle of Cornhill,” 1769—Administrative bribesof preference “Lottery Tickets”—“The Inchanted Castle; or,King’s Arms in an Uproar,” 1769—Walpole’s account of the procession—“ThePrincipal Merchants and Traders assembled at theMerchant Seamen’s Office to sign ye Address”—“Epistle to theNorth Briton,” 1769—The “Abhorrers” of Charles II.’s reignrevived—The Administration arraigned with their crimes—Addressof the Quakers to James II.—“The conduct of ninety-nine in ahundred of the people of England ‘Abhorred’”—The loyaladdress forwarded to St. James’s Palace—“The Battle of TempleBar,”—The addressers routed—“Sequel to the Battle of TempleBar: Presentation of the Loyal Address at St. James’s Palace,”1769—The fight at Palace Yard—“The Hearse,” and Lord Mountmorres—Thelost Address recovered—Account of the processionfrom the Political Register—The Town and Country Magazine—Aroyal proclamation against the rioters: Gazette Extraordinary—“TheGotham Addressers: or, a Peep at the Hearse”—“ADialogue between the Two Heads on Temple Bar,” 1769 | 178 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| More petitions and remonstrances to the king—Petition of the Liveryof London—The king’s advisers denounced by the citizens—Anarraignment of ministerial crimes and misdemeanours—Undueprerogative and its abuses—The alienation of our colonies, andthe consequent loss of America—The king’s contemptuous receptionof the city petition—Disrespect shown to the corporationat the Court of St. James’s—Threatening attitude of the military—Anunscrupulous and tyrannical ministry—A poetical petition—Theking visits the city petition with “severe censure”—Amore stringent remonstrance prepared—The violated “rightof election”—An unrepresentative parliament—“The true spiritof parliaments”—“The constitution depraved”—The CoronationOath violated—The king’s answer, condemning the former petition,and the city remonstrance—“Nero fiddled while Rome wasburning”—Further popular agitations—Horne Tooke’s “Addressto the Freeholders of the county of Middlesex”—“The MiddlesexAddress, Remonstrance and Petition”—“Constitutional libertiesattacked in the most vital part”—“A self-elected and irresponsibleParliament”—The petitions from Middlesex and Kent receivedat St. James’s in silence—The Westminster remonstrance—Corruptadministration of the House of Commons—The king prayedto dissolve a parliament no longer representing the people—Theright of petitioning impeached by the Commons—The king repliesthat “he will lay the remonstrance before parliament”—“Makinga man judge in his own trial”—The undignified reception of theWestminster remonstrance—Parliamentary counter-petitions atthe bidding of corrupt ministers—The city vote of thanks to LordChatham, for his patriotic “zeal for the rights of the people”—Theking’s answer considered at a general assembly of the citizens—AldermanWilkes on the violation of the rights of election and ofthe constitution—The recorder characterises the remonstranceas a libel—The conduct of ministers in the case of ColonelLuttrell’s election—A fuller remonstrance from the city—Theresults of the Revolution of 1788 contravened—The king’s answer—Beckfordrequests leave to reply—His dignified speech to theking—The king remains silent—“Nero did not fiddle while Romewas burning”—The courtiers abashed—The king prorogues parliamentwith an address approving of the conduct of both Houses—Thecitizens eventually triumph in “the cause of Liberty andof the Constitution”—Lord Chatham’s eulogium pronouncedupon the “patriotic spirit of the metropolis”—Beckford andChatham, the champions of popular rights—The national importanceof their conduct at this crisis of our history—Civic honourspaid to Beckford—His speech to the king inscribed on the monumenterected to his memory in the Guildhall—The corrupt ministerscowed—An uncontested election for Westminster, 1770—Sir RobertBernard’s nomination—His election, without expense or disorder—Speechesof Sir J. Hussey Delaval and Earl Mountmorres on thelate conduct of the Government—The advantages of leaving thepeople to the legitimate exercise of their liberties, uninfluenced bythe administrative interest, corruption, and undue influence, theusual features at an election. | 207 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| “The Spendthrift Election,” Northampton, 1768—Expensive contests,the defeated men appearing in the Gazette—Colchester; Hampshire—Threenoble patrons adversaries at Northampton: the Earls ofHalifax, Northampton, and Spencer—Open-house at ancestral seats—The“perdition of Horton”—The petition and scrutiny on theNorthampton election—The event referred to chance—Cost of thecontest—The results of the reckless expenditure upon the fortunesof the patrons—Sir Francis Delaval at Andover, 1768—His attorney’sbill: item, “to being Thrown out of window, £500”—Reckoningwithout the host—An hospitable entertainment—Returningthanks—The Mayor versus the Colonel—“Sir Jeffery Dunstan’sAddress to the Electors of Garratt,” 1774: a parody upon electionmanifestoes-“Lord Shiner’s Appeal to the Electors of Garratt”—Briberyat elections, and “controverted election petitions”—Variousmethods of acquiring “Parliamentary interest”—Boroughscultivated for the market, like other saleable commodities—Patronage—Buyingup burgage-tenures—Recognized prices ofvotes—The Ilchester tariff—“Dispensers of seats”—Lord Chesterfield’sexperience of borough-jobbing—The seven electors of OldSarum—Typical sinks of corruption—Boroughbridge, Yorkshire—“Thelast of the Boroughbridges”—A solitary franchise-holder;one man returning two representatives—The bribery scrutiny,Hindon, 1774—203 bribed electors out of a constituency of 210—Wholesalecorruption—Bribing candidates committed to theKing’s Bench—A fine of “a thousand marks”—Boroughmongeringat Milborne Port—Lord North’s agent—A wholesale purchaseof “bailiwicks”—Supineness of the Commons and ministerialinfluence—Corrupt bargains ignored by the House—Illegal interferenceof peers and lords of parliament in elections; Westminsterelection, 1774—“Money, meat, drink, entertainment orprovision”—The partiality of persons in power manifested at“election bribery commissions”—The “king’s menial servantsdisqualified”—“Direct solicitation of the peers”—Worcester, 1774,wholesale swearing-in of electors as special constables—Convenientformula for defeating evidence of bribery before the House—High-Sheriffsreturning themselves, Abingdon, 1774—The instanceof Sir Edward Coke—“The sheriff in no respect the returningofficer for boroughs”—The election made void by the sheriffreturning himself—Morpeth, 1774—An election determined bymain force—The candidate forcibly returning “himself and friend”—A“bribing” candidate preferred to a “main-force” candidate—Petersfield,Hants—The Shaftesbury “Punch,”—Pantomimicmethod of distributing bribes—The mysterious “Glenbucket”—Sudbury,1780—A wager on the result of a controverted petition—Amayor insisting upon carrying on an election all night—TheShaftesbury “Punch” outdone by the Shoreham “ChristianSociety”—A well-organized scheme for “burgessing business”—The“Society” a “heap of bribery”—Stafford, 1780; The pricepaid by R. B. Sheridan for his seat—Tom Sheridan a candidatefor Stafford, on his father’s retirement, 1806—The successful candidatefor Stafford presented with a new hat at the hustings, by asubscription of his constituents—“A Mob-Reformer,” 1780—Thefirst entry into public life of William Pitt—“The spirit of thecountry in 1780”—Pitt seated for Appleby, one of Sir JamesLowther’s pocket-boroughs—Pitt’s early political friends: theDuke of Rutland and Lord Euston—Pitt’s letter to his mother,Lady Chatham, on his coming election—No necessity to visit constituencies—Choiceof seats offered to the young premier, 1784—Nominatedfor the City of London—Invited to stand for Bath,represented by his late father Earl Chatham—Pitt returned forthe University of Cambridge, 1784, which he represented till hisdeath—The dissolution delayed by the theft of the Great Sealfrom the Chancellor’s residence, 1784—Pitt’s letter to Wilberforceon the coming elections—Pitt “a hardened electioneerer”—Thewar carried into the great Whig strongholds—The subscriptionto forward Wilberforce’s return for Yorkshire—Earl Stanhopeon “Fox’s Martyrs”—Fox’s courage under adversity—Wilkesreturned as the ministerial representative for Middlesex—Wilkes’s“address to the electors”—“The Back-stairs Scoured”—“Theboldest of bilks”—“Reconciliation of the Two Kings of Brentford,”1784—“The New Coalition,” 1784—Charles James Fox’s firstentry into public life—Returned for Midhurst, 1769—His firstspeech on the Wilkes case—Wilkes at a levée: he denouncesto the king his friend Glynn as a “Wilkite”—Canvass of Pitt’sfriends—The poet Cowper’s description of Pitt’s cousin, the Hon.W. W. Grenville, seeking for suffrages—The amenities of canvassingin the old days: saluting the ladies and maids—A mostloving, kissing, kind-hearted gentleman—W. W. Grenville andJohn Aubrey returned for Buckinghamshire, 1784 | 226 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| The Great Westminster election of 1784—Wilkes’s famous election contestfor Middlesex dwarfed by comparison-State of political excitement—Relationsof parties in the Commons—Fox’s India Bill—“CarloKhan”—Downfall of the Coalition Ministry—Pitt madepremier by the will of the king—“Back-stair influence,” and Courtintrigues—“The royal finger”—Hostility of the East India Companyagainst Fox—An administration called to power with a workingminority—Defeated on division—Vote of want of confidence—TheHouse dissolved—The great election campaign—“The stormconjured up”—The popular aversion to the late Coalition Ministersshown at the hustings—“The royal prerogative exerted againstthe palladium of the people”—Horace Walpole on the situation—TheWhig losses all over England—Fox’s contest for Westminster—Aforty days’ poll—The metropolis in a state of ebullition—Partycries—The streets a scene of combat—The rival mobs—The Guards—Hood’ssailors; their violent partisanship and reckless attacks—The“honest mob”—Fox’s narrow escape—The Irish chairmen beatthe sailor-mob—A series of pitched battles—Partial behaviour ofthe special constables—Their interference and violence—Flood ofballads and political squibs—Rowlandson’s caricatures on the contest—Theodium revived against the late Coalition Ministry; turnedto political account by the Court party—“The Coalition Wedding:the Fox and the Badger quarter their Arms”—“Britannia aroused;or, the Coalition Monsters destroyed”—Pitt’s election manœuvres;his bidding for the favour of the citizens—Pitt presented with thefreedom of the city—“Master Billy’s Procession to Grocers’ Hall”—Theking threatens to retire to Hanover in the event of a defeat—Ministerialwiles—Bids of place and pension—Extensive “ratting”—“TheApostate Jack Robinson, the Political Rat-catcher.N.B. Rats taken alive!”—“The Rival Candidates: Fox, Hood, andWray”—Rival canvassers—“Honest Sam House, the Patrioticpublican”—The hustings, Covent Garden—The “prerogativestandard”—“Major Cartwright, the Drum-Major of Sedition”—“TheHanoverian Horse and the British Lion”—“Fox, the Incurable”—Faircanvassers—The ladies of the Whig aristocracya bevy of beauty; the Duchess of Devonshire, the Countess ofDuncannon, the Duchess of Portland, Lady Carlisle, etc.—“TheDevonshire, or Most Approved Manner of securing Votes”—“AKiss for a Vote”—Tory lady canvassers: Lady Salisbury,the Hon. Mrs. Hobart—“Madame Blubber, the Ærostatic Dilly”—Walpole’saccount of the canvassing—Fox’s favour with the fair—TheDuchess of Devonshire’s exertions on behalf of the Whig chief—EarlStanhope on “Fox’s Martyrs”—His account of the contestedelection—Pitt’s letters on the Westminster election, toWilberforce, and James Grenville—Pitt’s account of the countryelections—His anxiety about Westminster—Earl Stanhope’ssummary of the Westminster election—Ballads on the contest—“TheDuchess Acquitted; or, the True Cause of the Majority onthe Westminster Election”—Tory libels on the Duchess of Devonshire—“TheWit’s Last Stake; or, the Cobbling Voters and AbjectCanvassers”—“The Poll”—Animadversions against Sir CecilWray—“Lords of the Bedchamber”—“The Westminster Watchman”—Aflood of jeux d’esprit—“On undue influence”—“A conciseDescription of Covent Garden at the Westminster election”—“Stanzasin Season”—The Prince of Wales a zealous partisanof Fox—“Lady Beauchamp, Lady Carlisle, and Lady Derby atthe Hustings”—Poetical tributes—The Duchess of Devonshiresaves the Whig cause at Westminster—“On the Duchess of Devonshireand Lady Duncannon canvassing for Fox”—“On a certainDuchess”—Horace Walpole’s nieces, the Ladies Waldegrave,“the three Sister Graces,” canvassing for Fox—“Epigram on theDuchess of Devonshire”—“Impromptu on her Grace of Devon”—“Odeto the Duchess”—“The Paradox of the Times”—A newSong, “Fox and Freedom”—The downfall of Wray—“The Caseis Altered”—Bringing in outlying voters—“Procession to theHustings after a Successful Canvass”—“Every Man has hisHobby-Horse”—Fox carried into the House by the duchess—ExitSir Cecil Wray!—“For the Benefit of the Champion—aCatch.” “No Renegado!” Wray defeated—“The WestminsterDeserter drumm’d out of the Regiment”—Apotheosis of the fairchampion—“Liberty and Fame introducing Female Patriotism(the Duchess of Devonshire) to Britannia”—The close of the poll—Wraydemands a scrutiny—Partial and illegal conduct of thehigh bailiff as returning-officer—Fox triumphant—The ovation—Thechairing procession—Two days of festivities—The receptionat Devonshire House—The Prince of Wales’s rejoicings—The fêteat Carlton Palace—Rival interests—Mrs. Crewe’s rout—Thetedious and prolonged progress of the scrutiny—Fox for Kirkwall—“TheDeparture”—Fox recovers damages against the high bailifffor illegality in refusing to make a return—The affair only settleda year later—“Defeat of the High and Mighty Balissimo Corbettinoand his Famed Cecilian Forces, on the Plains of St. Martin,”1785—Corbett ordered by the court to make his return—Cast indamages—Fox’s final majority | 257 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| Another Westminster election, 1788—Lord Hood appointed to theAdmiralty Board, 1788—A fresh contest—Lord John Townshend,a candidate in the Whig interest—Defeat of Lord Hood—TwoWhig members for Westminster—Mob violence, the Guards,Hood’s sailors—Ministerial support—“Election Troops bringingtheir Accounts to the Pay-table” (Treasury Gate), 1788, by J.Gillray—“An Independent Elector”—Helston, Cornwall, 1790—Ladycanvassers—A violent “eccentric”—“Proof of the RefinedFeelings of an Amiable Character, lately a Candidate for a CertainAncient City,” by J. Gillray—“The ‘Marplot’ of his Own Party”—Abusesof patronage—Traditions of boroughmongering—Accumulationsof seats and parliamentary interests—Cartwright’stables of pocket boroughs—Pitt’s early patron, Sir James Lowther—“Thetyrant of the North”—“Pacific Entrance of Earl Wolf(Lord Lonsdale) into Blackhaven,” 1792—Great distress prevalentthroughout the country, in 1795; its effect on political agitation—Politicalclubs clamour for parliamentary reform—The kingand his advisers in disfavour—Revolutionary societies and the“Seditions Bill”—Gillray’s caricatures—“Meetings of PoliticalCitizens at Copenhagen House,” 1795—Whig agitation against thethreatened incursions on the “liberty of the subject”—“TheMajesty of the People”—“A Hackney Meeting,” 1796—A threatenedconstitutional struggle averted by a dissolution of parliament,1796—Pitt’s tactics—“The Dissolution; or, the State Alchymistproducing an Ætherial Representation,” 1796—Mr. Hull’s costlyelectioneering experience at Maidstone, 1796—Horne Tooke unsuccessfulat Westminster, 1790 and 1796—Fox and the favourof the mobocracy—“The Hustings, Covent Garden,” 1796—Electioneeringsquibs—The Anti-Jacobin and the member for Southwark—Canning’slines on George Tierney, “The Friend ofHumanity and the Knife-grinder,” 1797—Grey’s reform measurefirst moved in 1797—Defeat of the Whigs, and their temporaryabstention from the debates—Increased political agitation out ofdoors—Great reform meetings—Medal commemorative of thegathering at Warwick—“Loyal Medal,” a parody of the “Greathead”patriotic medal—The secession of “the party”—HorneTooke as a political agitator—The Brentford Parson’s pamphlets—HorneTooke a political portrait painter, and the Anti-Jacobin—“TwoPair of Portraits, dedicated to the Unbiased Electorsof Great Britain,” 1798—Meeting on the twentieth anniversaryof Fox’s membership for Westminster—The Whig chief’s speechto his constituents—“The Worn-out Patriot; or, the Last Dying-Speechof the Westminster Representative at the ShakespeareTavern,” 1800—Horne Tooke seated for “Old Sarum”—Theopposition to his membership led by Temple—Lord Camelford’snominees—“Political Amusements for Young Gentlemen; or, theBrentford Shuttlecock,” 1801—“Horne Tooke as the ‘Shuttlecock’”—Unexpectedhonours thrust upon Captain Barlow atCoventry, 1802—Middlesex Election for 1804—The BrentfordHustings—“A Long Pull, a Strong Pull, and a Pull All Together;”Sir Francis Burdett drawn to the poll—“The Governor in hisGlory,” 1804—The Westminster election, 1806—The RadicalReformers—“Triumphal Procession of Little Paull”—“The HighflyingCandidate mounting from a Blanket,” 1806—The coalitionbetween Hood and Sheridan—Paull tossed at the hustings—Burdettfor Middlesex—“Posting to the Election; or, a Scene on theRoad to Brentford,” 1806—William Cobbett “A Radical Drummer,”1806—“Coalition Candidates,” Hood and Sheridan—Sheridandisconcerted—“View of the Hustings in Covent Garden, WestminsterElection,” 1806—“Who suffers?”—The general election,1807—A split in the Radical camp—Differences between Burdettand Paull—“Patriots deciding a Point of Honour; or, the Exactrepresentation of the Celebrated Rencontre which took place atCoombe Wood, between Little Paull the Tailor and Sir FrancisGoose,” 1807—“The Poll of the Westminster Election,” 1807—“theRepublican Goose at the Top, etc.”—Horne Tooke and Sir FrancisBurdett—“The Head of the Poll; or, the Wimbledon Showman,”1807—“The Chelmsford Petition; Patriots addressing the EssexCalves” | 289 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| The “royal” Duke of Norfolk an enthusiastic “electioneerer”—Wilberforce’selectioneering experiences—His contest for Hull—Theprice of freemen—The great fight for Yorkshire, 1807—“TheAusterlitz of Electioneering”—The candidates, Wilberforce, LordMilton and Lascelles—The Fitzwilliam and Harewood interests—Threehundred thousand pounds expended—The voluntary subscriptionto defray the expenses of Wilberforce’s candidature—Thepoll—The county in a state of ferment—Election wiles;false rumours; “Bruisers”—All the conveyances bespoke—Wilberforce’svictory—His motives for the contest—“Groans ofthe Talents”—Personation—Female canvassers under false colours—Travellingexpenses of electors—Carrying cargoes of freeholdersby water—Kidnapping—The caricaturists on elections—Customaryepisodes of a Westminster election, delineated by Rowlandsonand Pugin—George Cruikshank as an election caricaturist—The“Speaker’s Warrant” for committing Burdett to the Tower, 1810—“TheLittle Man in the Big Wig,” 1810—“The Election Hunter,”1812—“Saddle White Surrey for Cheapside”—Southwark election,1812—“The Borough Candidates”—“An Election Ball,”1813—The Westminster election, 1818—“The Freedom of Election:or, Hunt-ing for Popularity and Plumpers for Maxwell,” 1818—“Hunt,a Radical Reformer”—“A Political Squib on the WestminsterElection,” 1819—“Patriot Allegory, Anarchical Fable, andLicentious Parody”—Major Cartwright, an unsuccessful candidate—Cartwright’sPetition to the House of Commons on the needfulreform of a corrupt representative system, 1820—Statisticsof borough-mongering—“Sinks of corruption”—“353 memberscorruptly imposed on the Commons”—The coming elections of1820—John Cam Hobhouse—His imprisonment—“Little Hob in theWell”—“A Trifling Mistake—corrected,” 1820—Radicals—“TheRoot of the King’s Evil; Lay the Axe to it,” 1820—The Riot Act—“TheLaw’s Delay. Showing the advantage and comfort ofwaiting the specified time after reading the Riot Act to a RadicalMob; or, a British Magistrate in the Discharge of his Duties, andthe People of England in the Discharge of Theirs,” 1820—“TheElection Day”—Dissolution of Parliament, 1820—“Coriolanusaddressing the Plebs,” 1820—“Freedom and Purity of Election!Showing the Necessity of Reform in the Close Boroughs,” 1820—“RadicalQuacks giving a new Constitution to John Bull,” 1820—Burdettand Hobhouse as Radical Reformers | 324 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| The last parliament of George IV.’s reign—The country clamorousfor retrenchment—The Tory régime growing irksome—Theking’s illness, 1830—John Doyle’s caricatures upon public events(HB’s “political sketches”)—“Present State of Public FeelingPartially Illustrated,” 1830—Death of the king—“The MourningJournal: Alas! Poor Yorick!”—“The Magic Mirror; or, a Peep intoFuturity”—The Princess Victoria—Accession of William IV.—Whigprospects reviving—Brougham, “A Gheber worshippingthe Rising Sun”—Wellington, a “Detected Trespasser”—Partyintrigues—“Anticipation; or, Queen Sarah’s Visit to Bushy”—Theold campaigner—“Un-Holy Alliance; or, an Ominous Conjunction”—Thegeneral election, 1830—“Election Squibs andCrackers for 1830. Before and After the Election”—Caricaturists,as politicians, usually above party prejudices—W. Cobbettreturned for Oldham—“Peter Porcupine” an M.P.—“A CharacteristicDialogue”—Changes of seats—“The Noodle Bazaar”—Headsfor Cabinets—John Bull and the Times—“The man that is easilyled by the nose”—“Resignation and Fortitude; or, the GoldStick”—“The Rival Candidates;” Boai and Grant—Wellington’sleadership threatened: “The Unsuccessful Appeal”—The popularwill—Attacks upon the Wellington and Peel Ministry—Results ofthe general election unfavourable to the Cabinet—“A MaskedBattery”—“A Cabinet Picture”—“Guy Fawkes; or, the Anniversaryof the Popish Plot”—Defeat foreshadowed—“FalseAlarm; or, Much Ado about Nothing”—The Eastern Questionfatal to Wellington’s Ministry—“Scene from the SuppressedTragedy entitled the Turco-Greek Conspiracy”—“His Honour theBeadle (William IV.) driving the Wagabonds out of the Parish”—Theadoption of liberal progress—Preliminary skirmishing—“TheCoquet”—The ministry thrown out—“Examples of theLaconic Style”—“A very Prophetical and Pathetical Allegory,”1831—Reform on the road—“Leap-Frog down Constitution Hill,”1831—Another appeal to the country—“Anticipated RadicalMeeting”—The dissolution—“Great Reform” Specialists;John Bull and his constitutional deformity—“Hoo-Loo-Choo, aliasJohn Bull, and the Doctors”—“May-Day”—“Leap-Frog on aLevel; or, Going Headlong to the Devil”—The Reformers havingit all their own way—A swinging pace—Political squibs on theelections of 1831—The great battle of Lord Grey’s Reform Bill—“TheNew Chevy Chase,” a poetical version of the reformstruggle—“Votaries at the Altar of Discord”—“PeerlessEloquence”—Slaughter of the Innocents—“Niobe Family”—Extinctionof pocket boroughs—Reform at a breakneck pace—“JohnGilpin”—William IV. carried away by the old Grey—“TheHandwriting on the Wall: ‘Reform Bill!’”—A warning toreformers—Grey and “Brissot’s Ghost”—“Macbeth” and “TheTricoloured Witches”—Grey, Durham, and Brougham—Althorpand Russell—A tub to a whale—“A Tale of a Tub, and the Moralof the Tail”—Renovations at the King’s Head: “Varnishing—ASign (of the Times)”—“The Rival Mount-o’-Bankes; or, the DorsetshireJuggler”—Root-and-branch reform—“LINEal Descent ofthe Crown,” a hint from Hogarth’s works, 1832—Hobhouse inoffice—“The Cast-off Cloak”—Radicalism over-warm—“Mazeppa”(William IV.): “Again he urges on his wild career”—“Ministersin their Cups” | 343 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| John Doyle, a Tory Caricaturist—The Tories out in the cold—“TheWaits,” 1833—Grey and the king—“Sindbad the Sailor and theOld Man of the Sea,” 1833—Parliamentary reform not carried farenough—Burdett, Hume, and O’Connell: “Three Great Pillarsof Government; or, a Walk from White Conduit House to St.Stephen’s,” 1834—“Time running away with the Reform Bill”—Generalelection, 1834-5—Party competition—“The Opposition’Busses”—“Original Design for the King’s Arms, to be placedover the New Speaker’s Chair,” supporters, Burdett and Cobbett—“Inconveniencesthat might have arisen from the Ballot”—Briberyand violence discounted—General election of 1835—Broadsidesquibs on the Windsor election—Tory view of thedecline of the British constitution, “A New Instance of the Mute—abilityof Human Affairs,” 1837—Appeal to the Constituencies in1837—“Going to the Fair with It: a cant phrase for doing anythingin an extravagant way”—Contortions of statesmen to keep inplace: “Ins and Outs”—“Fancy Ball: Jim Crow Dance andChorus,” 1837—Conversion of Sir Francis Burdett from Radicalismto Toryism—“A Fine Old English Gentleman, one of OldenTime,” 1837—A bye-election for Westminster—Burdett opposedby Leader—“Following the Leader”—“May-Day in 1837”—Whiggambols—Sir Francis Burdett invites the verdict of hisWestminster constituents upon his change of front—Thackeray’spictorial squib on the event—“The Guide”—“The Rivals; or,Old Tory Glory and Young Liberal Glory,” 1837—Sir FrancisBurdett re-elected—His valedictory speech at the Westminsterhustings, 1837—His quarrel with Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator—Defeatof Leader—“The Dog and the Shadow”—“Race for theWestminster Stakes between an Old Thoro’bred and a Young Cock-tail;weight for age. The old ’un winning in a canter,” May, 1837—“Takingup a Fare: All the World’s a Stage”—Burdett’s attackon Democracy—“The Last and Highest Point at which the unheard-ofCourage of Don Quixote ever did, or could arrive, withthe Happy Conclusion”—“An Old Song to a New Tune”—“TheRaddies”—Fate of Leader—“A Dead-horse: a sorry subject;what was once a Leader in the Bridgwater Coach”—“TheThree Tailors of Tooley Street. We, the People of England”—“Reorganizingthe (Spanish) Legion”—Burdett for North Wilts—“GrindingYoung”—Lord Durham—“The Newest UniversalMedicine”—ejected of Kilmarnock”—Joseph Hume defeatedat Middlesex—“Figurative Representation of the LateCatastrophe!”—Dan O’Connell providing the rejected candidateswith seats—“Great Western General Booking Office”—Hume forKilkenny—“Shooting Rubbish”—The interval before parliamentreassembled—“Retzsch’s Extraordinary Design of Satan Playingat Chess with Man for his Soul,” 1837—Party tactics—“A Gameat Chess (again): the Queen in Danger”—“High Life belowStairs (inverted), as lately performed at Windsor by her Majesty’sservants”—“Election Day: a Poetical Sketch from Nature”—Thehustings—The chairing—John Sterling’s poem, “The Election,”1841—A New Election at Aleborough—Rival Houses—TheCandidates—The attorneys—A corrupt bargain—The canvassing—Indirectbribing—The Bribery Act set at naught—Female voters,a fanciful prospect by George Cruikshank—“Rights of Women;or, a View of the Hustings with Female Suffrage,” 1835—Memorableelectioneering experiences: Two eminent writers as candidatesfor seats in parliament, 1857—Incidents in the canvassingof James Hannay—W. M. Thackeray’s contest at Oxford—Summaryof bribery at elections: Bribery Acts | 374 |