Chapter XIV

John Doyle, a Tory Caricaturist--The Tories out in the
cold--“The Waits,” 1833--Grey and the king--“Sindbad the
Sailor and the Old Man of the Sea,” 1833--Parliamentary
reform not carried far enough--Burdett, Hume, and O’Connell:
“Three Great Pillars of Government; or, a Walk from White
Conduit House to St. Stephen’s,” 1834--“Time running away
with the Reform Bill”--General election, 1834-5--Party
competition--“The Opposition ’Busses”--“Original Design
for the King’s Arms, to be placed over the New Speaker’s
Chair,” supporters, Burdett and Cobbett--“Inconveniences that
might have arisen from the Ballot”--Bribery and violence
discounted--General election of 1835--Broadside squibs on the
Windsor election--Tory view of the decline of the British
constitution, “A New Instance of the Mute--ability of Human
Affairs,” 1837--Appeal to the Constituencies in 1837--“Going
to the Fair with It: a cant phrase for doing anything in an
extravagant way”--Contortions of statesmen to keep in place:
“Ins and Outs”--“Fancy Ball: Jim Crow Dance and Chorus,”
1837--Conversion of Sir Francis Burdett from Radicalism to
Toryism--“A Fine Old English Gentleman, one of Olden Time,”
1837--A bye-election for Westminster--Burdett opposed by
Leader--“Following the Leader”--“May-Day in 1837”--Whig
gambols--Sir Francis Burdett invites the verdict of his
Westminster constituents upon his change of front--Thackeray’s
pictorial squib on the event--“The Guide”--“The Rivals; or,
Old Tory Glory and Young Liberal Glory,” 1837--Sir Francis
Burdett re-elected--His valedictory speech at the Westminster
hustings, 1837--His quarrel with Daniel O’Connell, the
Liberator--Defeat of Leader--“The Dog and the Shadow”--“Race
for the Westminster Stakes between an Old Thoro’bred and a
Young Cock-tail; weight for age. The old ’un winning in a
canter,” May, 1837--“Taking up a Fare: All the World’s a
Stage”--Burdett’s attack on Democracy--“The Last and Highest
Point at which the unheard-of Courage of Don Quixote ever did,
or could arrive, with the Happy Conclusion”--“An Old Song to
a New Tune”--“The Raddies”--Fate of Leader--“A Dead-horse:
a sorry subject; what was once a Leader in the Bridgwater
Coach”--“The Three Tailors of Tooley Street. We, the People
of England”--“Reorganizing the (Spanish) Legion”--Burdett
for North Wilts--“Grinding Young”--Lord Durham--“The Newest
Universal Medicine”--“The Rejected of Kilmarnock”--Joseph Hume
defeated at Middlesex--“Figurative Representation of the Late
Catastrophe!”--Dan O’Connell providing the rejected candidates
with seats--“Great Western General Booking Office”--Hume for
Kilkenny--“Shooting Rubbish”--The interval before parliament
reassembled--“Retzsch’s Extraordinary Design of Satan Playing
at Chess with Man for his Soul,” 1837--Party tactics--“A Game
at Chess (again): the Queen in Danger”--“High Life below
Stairs (inverted), as lately performed at Windsor by her
Majesty’s servants”--“Election Day: a Poetical Sketch from
Nature”--The hustings--The chairing--John Sterling’s poem,
“The Election,” 1841--A New Election at Aleborough--Rival
Houses--The Candidates--The attorneys--A corrupt bargain--The
canvassing--Indirect bribing--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--Memorable electioneering experiences:
Two eminent writers as candidates for seats in parliament,
1857--Incidents in the canvassing of James Hannay--W. M.
Thackeray’s contest at Oxford--Summary of bribery at elections:
Bribery Acts 374

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

SEPARATE PLATES.

PAGE

THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN; OR, A VIEW OF THE HUSTINGS WITH
FEMALE SUFFRAGE. 1835 _Frontispiece_

READY MONEY, THE PREVAILING CANDIDATE; OR, THE HUMOURS
OF AN ELECTION 84

THE HUMOURS OF A COUNTRY ELECTION. 1734 90

TO THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF WESTMINSTER. VERNON AND
EDWIN. 1741 97

MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF
WESTMINSTER: THE SPY DETECTED. MARCH, 1747 109

THE HUMOURS OF THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION; OR, THE SCALD
MISERABLE INDEPENDENT ELECTORS IN THE SUDS. 1747 113

GREAT BRITAIN’S UNION; OR, THE LITCHFIELD RACES. 1747 114

BRITANNIA DISTURBED BY FRENCH VAGRANTS. LORD TRENTHAM FOR
WESTMINSTER. 1749 121

ALL THE WORLD IN A HURRY; OR, THE ROAD FROM LONDON TO
OXFORD. 1754 134

THE OXFORDSHIRE ELECTION--THE POLLING BOOTH. 1754 145

“WILKES AND LIBERTY” RIOTS. THE SCOTCH VICTORY. MURDER OF
ALLEN BY A GRENADIER. MASSACRE OF ST. GEORGE’S FIELDS. 1768 174

THE HUSTINGS AT BRENTFORD, MIDDLESEX ELECTION, 1768. SERJEANT
GLYNN AND SIR W. BEAUCHAMP PROCTOR 178

SEQUEL TO THE BATTLE OF TEMPLE BAR--PRESENTATION OF THE LOYAL
ADDRESS AT ST. JAMES’S PALACE. 1769 201

MASTER BILLY’S PROCESSION TO GROCERS’ HALL--PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS--PITT PRESENTED WITH THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY. 1784 264

THE APOSTATE JACK ROBINSON, THE POLITICAL RAT-CATCHER. 1784 265

THE RIVAL CANDIDATES--GREAT WESTMINSTER ELECTION. 1784 266

THE HANOVERIAN HORSE AND THE BRITISH LION. MARCH, 1784 268

THE WIT’S LAST STAKE; OR, THE COBBLING VOTER AND ABJECT
CANVASSERS 275

LORDS OF THE BEDCHAMBER 276

THE WESTMINSTER WATCHMAN 277

THE CASE IS ALTERED 281

THE PROCESSION TO THE HUSTINGS AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CANVASS 282

THE WESTMINSTER DESERTER DRUMMED OUT OF THE REGIMENT. DEFEAT
OF SIR CECIL WRAY. HUSTINGS, COVENT GARDEN, WESTMINSTER
ELECTION. 1784 284

LIBERTY AND FAME INTRODUCING FEMALE PATRIOTISM (DUCHESS OF
DEVONSHIRE) TO BRITANNIA. 1784 285

DEFEAT OF THE HIGH AND MIGHTY BALISSIMO CORBETTINO AND HIS
FAMED CECILIAN FORCES, ON THE PLAINS OF ST. MARTIN, ON
THURSDAY, THE 3RD DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1785, BY THE CHAMPION
OF THE PEOPLE AND HIS CHOSEN BAND 287

PROOF OF THE REFINED FEELINGS OF AN AMIABLE CHARACTER, LATELY
A CANDIDATE FOR A CERTAIN ANCIENT CITY 293

PACIFIC ENTRANCE OF EARL WOLF (LORD LONSDALE) INTO BLACKHAVEN.
1792 296

MEETING OF PATRIOTIC CITIZENS AT COPENHAGEN HOUSE, 1795.
SPEAKERS: THELWALL, GALE JONES, HODSON, AND JOHN BINNS 298

THE DISSOLUTION; OR, THE ALCHYMIST PRODUCING AN ÆTHERIAL
REPRESENTATION. WILLIAM PITT DISSOLVING THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
1796 300

TWO PAIR OF PORTRAITS. PRESENTED TO ALL THE UNBIASED ELECTORS
OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1798 305

MIDDLESEX ELECTION, 1804. A LONG PULL--A STRONG PULL--AND A
PULL ALL TOGETHER 312

POSTING TO THE ELECTION; OR, A SCENE ON THE ROAD TO BRENTFORD.
1806 315

THE LAW’S DELAY. READING THE RIOT ACT. 1820 334

CORIOLANUS ADDRESSING THE PLEBS. 1820 338

ELECTION SQUIBS AND CRACKERS FOR 1830 346

HIS HONOUR THE BEADLE (WILLIAM IV.) DRIVING THE WAGABONDS OUT
OF THE PARISH. NOV. 28, 1830 354

LEAP-FROG DOWN CONSTITUTION HILL. APRIL 13, 1831 356

HOO-LOO-CHOO, _alias_ JOHN BULL, AND THE DOCTORS. MAY 2, 1831 357

LEAP-FROG ON A LEVEL; OR, GOING HEADLONG TO THE DEVIL. MAY
6, 1831 358

JOHN GILPIN. MAY 13, 1831 366

“THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.” MAY 26, 1831 367

VARNISHING--A SIGN (OF “THE TIMES”). JUNE 1, 1831 370

THE RIVAL MOUNT-O’-_Bankes_; OR, THE DORSETSHIRE JUGGLER. MAY
25, 1831 371

MAZEPPA--“AGAIN HE URGES ON HIS WILD CAREER.” AUG. 7, 1832 372

THREE GREAT PILLARS OF GOVERNMENT; OR, A WALK FROM WHITE
CONDUIT HOUSE TO ST. STEPHEN’S. JULY 23, 1834 376

INCONVENIENCES THAT MIGHT HAVE ARISEN FROM THE BALLOT 378

SMALLER ILLUSTRATIONS.

CANDIDATES ADDRESSING THEIR CONSTITUENTS _Title page_

WALPOLE CHAIRED. 1701 79

THE PREVAILING CANDIDATE; OR, THE ELECTION CARRIED BY BRIBERY
AND THE D----L 82

KENTISH ELECTION. 1734 86

THE DEVIL ON TWO STICKS. 1741 92

WESTMINSTER--THE TWO-SHILLING BUTCHER. 1747 111

THE ELECTION AT OXFORD--CANVASSING FOR VOTES. 1754 144

THE OXFORDSHIRE ELECTION--CHAIRING THE MEMBERS. 1754 147

GEORGE BUBB DODINGTON (LORD MELCOMBE REGIS) AND THE EARL OF
WINCHILSEA. 1753 149

BURNING A PRIME MINISTER IN EFFIGY. 1756 155

JOHN WILKES, A PATRIOT 159

A BEAR-LEADER. HOGARTH, CHURCHILL, AND WILKES 160

A SAFE PLACE. WILKES IN THE TOWER, 1763 162

THE NEW COALITION--THE RECONCILIATION OF “THE TWO KINGS OF
BRENTFORD.” 1784 254

A MOB-REFORMER. 1780 256

THE COALITION WEDDING--THE FOX (C. J. FOX) AND THE BADGER
(LORD NORTH) QUARTER THEIR ARMS ON JOHN BULL 263

BRITANNIA AROUSED, OR THE COALITION MONSTERS DESTROYED 264

HONEST SAM HOUSE, THE PATRIOTIC PUBLICAN, CANVASSER FOR FOX 266

MAJOR CARTWRIGHT, THE DRUM-MAJOR OF SEDITION 267

THE DEVONSHIRE, OR MOST APPROVED MANNER OF SECURING VOTES. 1784 270

EVERY MAN HAS HIS HOBBY HORSE--FOX AND THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE 282

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHAMPION--A CATCH. DEFEAT OF THE
MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE, SIR CECIL WRAY, WESTMINSTER
ELECTION. 1784 283

ELECTION TROOPS BRINGING THEIR ACCOUNTS TO THE PAY-TABLE,
WESTMINSTER. 1788 290

AN INDEPENDENT ELECTOR 291

AT HACKNEY MEETING--FOX, BYNG, AND MAINWARING 299

THE HUSTINGS--COVENT GARDEN. 1796 301

THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY AND THE KNIFE-GRINDER 302

LOYAL MEDAL. 1797 305

THE WORN-OUT PATRIOT, OR THE LAST DYING SPEECH OF THE
WESTMINSTER REPRESENTATIVE, ON THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING,
HELD AT THE SHAKESPEARE TAVERN, OCTOBER 10, 1800 308

POLITICAL AMUSEMENTS FOR YOUNG GENTLEMEN, OR THE BRENTFORD
SHUTTLECOCK BETWEEN OLD SARUM AND THE TEMPLE OF ST.
STEPHEN’S. 1801 310

THE OLD BRENTFORD SHUTTLECOCK--JOHN HORNE TOOKE RETURNED
FOR OLD SARUM. 1801 310

BRITANNIA FLOGGED BY PITT--THE GOVERNOR IN ALL HIS GLORY. 1804 313

THE HIGHFLYING CANDIDATE, LITTLE PAULL GOOSE, MOUNTING FROM
A BLANKET--_Vide_ HUMOURS OF WESTMINSTER ELECTION. 1806 315

COALITION CANDIDATES--SHERIDAN AND SIR SAMUEL HOOD. 1806 316

A RADICAL DRUMMER. 1806. W. COBBETT 317

VIEW OF THE HUSTINGS IN COVENT GARDEN--WESTMINSTER ELECTION.
1806 318

PATRIOTS DECIDING A POINT OF HONOUR; THE DUEL AT WIMBLEDON,
BETWEEN SIR FRANCIS BURDETT AND JAMES PAULL. WESTMINSTER
ELECTION. 1807 320

THE POLL OF THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION, 1807. ELECTION CANDIDATES;
OR, THE REPUBLICAN GOOSE AT THE TOP OF THE POLL. ON
THE POLL: BURDETT, COCHRANE, ELLIOTT, SHERIDAN, PAULL;
BELOW ARE TEMPLE, GREY, GRANVILLE, PETTY, ETC. 321

THE HEAD OF THE POLL; OR, THE WIMBLEDON SHOWMAN AND HIS
PUPPET. 1807. TOOKE AND BURDETT 322

THE CHELMSFORD PETITION: PATRIOTS ADDRESSING THE ESSEX CALVES 323

THE FREEDOM OF ELECTION; OR, HUNT-ING FOR POPULARITY, AND
PLUMPERS FOR MAXWELL. 1818 332

HUNT, A RADICAL REFORMER 334

THE GHEBER WORSHIPPING THE RISING SUN. JULY 6, 1830 345

WILLIAM COBBETT--“PETER PORCUPINE” 348

SINDBAD THE SAILOR AND THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA. JUNE 8, 1883 375

DESIGN FOR THE KING’S ARMS, TO BE PLACED OVER THE SPEAKER’S
CHAIR. FEB. 17, 1835 377

A HISTORY OF

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

IN THE OLD DAYS.