In my early years the parliamentary representation of the borough was divided, Mr. T. B. Horsfall and Mr. Ewart being our members. I knew them only slightly. Mr. S. R. Graves defeated Mr. Ewart in 1865. Mr. Graves had a fine commanding presence and all the address and bonhomie of an Irishman. He quickly became very popular at Westminster and did excellent work for Liverpool. His knowledge of shipping was much appreciated in the House, and it was generally expected that he would be the Secretary or the First Lord of the Admiralty, but his career was prematurely cut off, to the great grief of Liverpool; he died in 1873. His statue stands in St. George's Hall. I was secretary to the memorial committee. After defraying the cost of the statue we devoted the balance of the money collected to the endowment of "Graves" scholars at the Seamen's Orphanage, an institution with which Mr. Graves had been very closely identified.
The parliamentary candidates for the vacancy were Mr. John Torr, a prominent merchant, who stood in the Conservative interest, and Mr. William S. Caine, another Liverpool man, supported by the Radicals and teetotalers. I acted as the honorary Secretary for Mr. Torr. The election was hotly contested, but Mr. Torr was returned by a majority of nearly 2,000. In those days we paid much court and deference to our members. They were held in high personal esteem, always received the hospitality of our leading men, and were never allowed to stay at an hotel.
Lord Sandon became our member in 1868, defeating Mr. William Rathbone. Naturally a very delicate man with a highly strung nervous system, the representation of such an important constituency as Liverpool was a source of much anxiety to him. Any subject brought under his notice became to him a matter of the first and most urgent importance. Lord Sandon was a true aristocrat, refined in manner and most courteous and considerate to all. He continued to represent Liverpool until 1880, when he succeeded his father in the Peerage and became the Earl of Harrowby.
Upon the death of Mr. Torr in 1880, Mr. Edward Whitley became our member. Mr. Whitley had for many years been the most popular man in Liverpool. An ardent Conservative, a good Evangelical Churchman, and excelling in good works, the name of Edward Whitley was a household word in Liverpool. He was the leader of the Tory party in the Council, and was a frequent speaker, but his speeches, though fluent, were not convincing. Mr. Whitley, although a very diligent member, was not a conspicuous success in Parliament; he failed to catch the ear of the House. Few men have done more for their native town or were more highly respected in their day and generation. He died in 1892.
In 1885 the party representation of Liverpool underwent an important change, a partition of the city into nine divisions being effected, each returning one member. It has seemed to me that this has involved some loss of individuality on the part of the nine members, and that Liverpool has taken comparatively little interest in their doings, and I am inclined to doubt if the city exercises as much influence in the affairs of the nation, or if our local parliamentary business is as well looked after.
The effacement of the private member is due very much to his inability to initiate legislation. If he introduces a bill it has to run the chances of the ballot, and if it is a good measure and gets a good place in the ballot, it is too frequently adopted by the Government, and in this way the private member loses his individuality and there is little inducement for him to originate legislation.
Mr. Rathbone, when he was our member, had an office and a staff of clerks in his house at Prince's Gate, London, for the purpose of looking after the parliamentary business of Liverpool, and it has never since been so systematically and so well attended to.
The contest for the County in 1868, when Mr. Gladstone and Mr. R. A. Cross (now Lord Cross) were the candidates, is very fresh in my memory. The question of the day was the Irish church. Mr. Gladstone delivered a series of very brilliant addresses, but to the surprise of everyone Mr. Cross's replies were equally brilliant, and we thought very crushing. We took the candidates, Cross and Blackburn, in a coach and four, to canvass Colonel Blundell at Crosby Hall, and Mr. Weld Blundell at Ince.
I was shortly afterwards made chairman of the Waterloo Polling District, and in 1880 became chairman of the Southport Division. The first contest in this division was between our candidate, Mr. John Edwards Moss (now Sir John Edwards Moss, Bart.), and Dr. Pilkington (now Sir George Pilkington). It was an uphill fight; Southport had always been a Radical place, and remained true to her Radical principles. The electors were very fastidious; they took exception to our candidate wearing rings on his fingers, and helping himself while speaking to a little sherry and water out of his flask. We unfortunately lost the election.
When the next election came round, we had to look about for another candidate, and tried for several, but they were not attracted to Southport; in the end we invited the Honourable George Curzon, the eldest son of Lord Scarsdale, of Kedleston. He had lately been defeated at Derby, but he was a young man, only 27, with a record of a very brilliant university career, and had been president of the Union at Oxford. Mr. Curzon accepted our invitation, and came down to Southport to deliver his first speech, which was very brilliant, and quite took everyone by surprise. He was very boyish in looks, which occasioned one rough Lancashire man to get up in the meeting and exclaim, "Thou art o'er young for us." Mr. Curzon quickly replied, "If you will return me as your member I promise I will improve upon that every day I live."