POLITICAL.
With Politics I had no intention of dealing, but the book would be incomplete if there were no indication of the party strife of the period, so that I have been tempted to make a few extracts principally of 1793-4, when party spirit ran very high. The revelations as to Elections, will, probably, somewhat astonish the next generation.
"The Marquis of Lansdowne's carriage conveyed the whole phalanx of opposition, in the house of Lords, to their respective homes, after the debate of Friday night: and even then, one corner of the coach was unoccupied.
"The opposition in the Commons, who are a little more numerous, were all bundled into Mr. Fox's coach, and that of Michael Angelo Turner, with the assistance of a hackney-coach for Jack Courtney, and Jekyll.
"Opposition, sunk to a minority that is insignificant in the extreme, was afraid to try the question, on Friday, in either House, well knowing that they could not reckon more than a dozen, in the Commons, and three in the House of Lords. Must not this convince the French of the unanimity of the people of England?"—(Times, Feb. 4, 1793.)
"All the Members of the Opposition, in both Houses of Parliament, are to have a grand civic feast on Saturday next. Dinner is bespoke for FOURTEEN!!!"—(Times, Feb. 5, 1793.)
"The Irish papers are full of information of indictments on the part of the Crown, against the printers of newspapers in Ireland. Thirty or forty names are mentioned in one of the latest Gazettes from thence."—(Times, Feb. 6, 1793.)
COUNTY OF LEICESTER.—Dec. 19, 1792.
"It appearing to be the unanimous opinion of all true friends of the Constitution, that, in order to prevent the mischievous consequences attending a misrepresentation of their sentiments, either at home, or abroad, some public avowal of their principles is become necessary; We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, adopting the resolutions of the Society, at the Saint Alban's Tavern, do hereby declare, that we are unanimously, and decidedly, of opinion, that, for the security and happiness of all classes of our fellow-subjects, for the maintenance of our own rights, and liberties, and, for the dearest interests of our posterity, it is, in the present moment, incumbent upon us to give to the Executive Government, a vigorous, and effectual, support, in counteracting the numerous efforts of sedition, in detecting, and bringing to legal punishment, the persons concerned therein, and in suppressing, in their beginning, all tumults, or riots, on whatever pretence they may be excited: do hereby publicly declare our determination to take all such steps for these purposes, as are within the limits of our duty, in the several stations in which the Constitution of our country has placed us, and to afford, by our individual exertions, that active assistance to the authority of the lawful Magistrate, and to the maintenance of the Established Government, which is at all times due from the subject of this realm; but which we feel to be more particularly necessary, under the circumstances of the present time.
"For these purposes, and to this intent, we are resolved, and do declare—
1. "That we will jointly, and individually, use our utmost endeavours to discover the Authors, Publishers, and Distributors, of all Seditious Writings, which shall be published, and distributed, within the County of Leicester, and particularly, all persons who shall be engaged in any illegal Associations, or Conspiracies, for the Publication, and Distribution, of such writings, or for the exciting Tumults, and Riots, within the said County.
2. "That, in order to carry the above resolutions into effect, we do hereby, mutually, bind ourselves to each other, that whenever it shall come to our Knowledge, that any person, or persons, have, within the said County, Published, or Distributed, Seditious Writings, or engaged themselves in such Associations, or Conspiracies, for the purposes aforesaid, we will do our utmost endeavours to put the laws strictly in force against him, or them.
3. "That we will, on every occasion, exert ourselves, on the first appearance of Tumult, or Disorder, to maintain the public peace, and to act in support of the civil authority, for suppressing all Riots, and for bringing the promoters of them to legal punishment.
"Those who agree in the principles here stated, are invited to set their names to this Declaration—Copies of which will be sent, for that purpose, to every town, and village, in the county, at the Banks of Boultbee & Co., and Bensley & Co., in Leicester, and at the Post Offices, in the several Market Towns of the county, Subscriptions will be received, from such persons, as may be willing to contribute, towards defraying the expenses, which may be incurred in carrying into execution the measures here stated, and in counteracting the mistaken, and pernicious, notions which are so industriously circulated."—(Times, Feb. 7, 1793.)
"ST. MARY, ISLINGTON, Mitre Tavern, opposite the Church, Jan. 23. We, the undersigned, being PUBLICANS within this Parish, from a sense of duty we owe to the present Constitution, and Government of this country; and, having a desire to preserve to the utmost of our Power, Peace, and Good Order, by preventing the assembling of Persons as Societies, or Clubs, for seditious purposes, in our several Houses—have this day met, and resolved, and, by this, do pledge ourselves, to give immediate Information to the Committee appointed at the Church, on the 8th Day of Dec. last, for the preservation of the Public Peace, &c., of any Person, or Persons, making use of disloyal Expressions or otherwise offending against the Peace of the Parish, whereby he, or they, may be brought to Punishment for the same. Agreed, That this Resolution be signed by as many Publicans within this Parish, as shall approve the same, and that it may be advertised in the daily Papers.
"N.B.—The signatures contain the whole Number of Publicans in this Parish."—(Times, Feb. 7, 1793.)
"It is rather extraordinary, that the Whig Club should forget to drink the Duke of Portland's health last Tuesday, and the House of Cavendish. There was a time, when the Whig Club was respectable; but that is over, and perhaps never to return. The last meeting was a-la-mode D'Egalité."—(Times, Feb. 7, 1793.)
"As the Members of the National Convention are so very fond of Pain, it cannot be deemed unfeeling to express a sincere wish that they all felt it."—(Times, Feb. 7, 1793.)
"Lady Dover's house, it is confidently said, was set on fire by a Frenchman. The person's name has been publicly mentioned. What may, and must, surprise a number of Britons is, that in most of the late Opposition families of eminence, the principal servants are Frenchmen:—and it is necessary to make public, that these foreigners, under the roofs of those who give them bread, utter the most treasonable blasphemies against the present Government of this country. As some new tax may be requisite, to assist the necessary resources of Government, a most heavy impost on French servants would be extremely popular. The Steward, the Butler, the Cook, the Valet, and the rest of the principal servants in one of the first families of Opposition, are French. Does this accord with national friendship?"—(Times, Feb. 8, 1793.)
"There are no patriotic gifts now made for carrying on the war in France!—no bodkins, scissors, thimbles, rings, and necklaces! The Army is left to shift for itself: and, if they cannot plunder a day's subsistence, they must fast."—(Times, Feby. 9, 1793.)
"In the year 1782, when Mr. Fox gave notice of motion on the state of the nation, the House was filled at an early hour to an overflow. But on a similar notice, from the same person, in 1793, there were not sufficient Members to make a House, and the Speaker adjourned to next day. Tempora mutantur."—(Times, Feb. 9, 1793.)
"Why is opposition like a stumbling horse?
Because it is broken down.
Why is Lord Lansdowne like a man with the gout?
Because his mind is engrossed by Paine.
Why is the National Assembly of France like a Crocodile?
Because it deceives, in order to destroy.
Why is Mr. Courtney like an apothecary's bill?
Because he is ditto repeated on all occasions.
Why is Mr. Erskine like the first two words of the beginning of the Eclogues of Virgil?
Because he commences with Ille Ego.
Why is Michael Angelo Taylor like a barrel organ?
Because any person can play upon him.
Why is Lord Courtney like Narcissus?
Because he is in love with himself.
Why is Mrs. Sturt like a young kitten?
Because she is fond of play.
Why is the Club at Brookes's like cannibals?
Because they prey one upon another.
Why is Mrs. Siddons like the late Sir Joshua Reynolds?
Because she deceives the public into a belief that art is nature.
Why is Lord Wycombe an advocate for peace?
Because his father made nothing until he put an end to the war.
Why are the Members of Opposition like the live stock of a Register Office?
Because they want places."—(Times, Feb. 9, 1793.)
"In days of yore, Lady Wallace would have been burnt for a witch from the prophecies, now verified, which she published a year ago, in a letter to her son:—She foretold that the Prince would soon throw off the corrupt ministers to his youthful pleasures, and shew himself the protector of that happy Government, which alone can insure the wealth, freedom, and glory, of England! She says, "he will emerge in all the splendour which attends the noon-day sun, after having dispersed the clouds exhaled from foul vapours beneath him." She foretold that the united forces would not succeed in their attack upon France: that England must inevitably be speedily involved in war, from the convulsed state of the Continent:—She said, that if foreign Powers would take no hostile part against the French, that they would prey like wolves upon each other, and do more towards a Counterrevolution, by their frenzy being vented in internal discord, than all Europe would ever force them to do. It was her Ladyship who first boldly exposed to a great personage, and society, Egalité's crimes, and foretold, that, after having washed his daggers in Royal blood at Paris, he would send his hireling ruffians to attempt like horrors here! truths which are well known now, although they appeared then incredible. Her information when on the Continent, and knowledge of foreign politics, are most accurate, and valuable."—(Times, Feb. 12, 1793.)
"The first speech Mr. Grey ever delivered in Parliament, was on the subject of the Commercial Treaty with France. At that time Mr. Grey expressed, in very forcible language, his abhorrence of any connexion whatever with the French, and, strongly insisting on their inbred hatred to this country, declared, they were a perfidious, and treacherous, people, and on no account to be trusted."—(Times, Feb. 14, 1793.)
"On Mr. Grey, being the only Man not in Mourning in the House of Commons, on a late melancholy occasion."—(Times, Feb. 14, 1793.)
"'Twas unfeeling forsooth,
Every Man in the House
Was in mourning, but one who drest gay;
As he would not be Black,
He'll be made to look Blue,
A mixture which forms a bad Grey."
"It is said that there have been one hundred and twenty-one Changes in the Peerage since the commencement of Mr. Hastings's trial in 1788."—(Times, Feb. 18, 1793.)
"An Expostulation with John Bull, in favour of the Marquis of L—nsd—n:—
"Of the Candidates John for thy favour of late,
Among all who are noble, and wish to be great,
Sure L—nsd—n, with reason may fairly complain,
That his merits could never your confidence gain!
The Moralists too, will confess with a tear,
That Virtue performs but a Pilgrimage here!
Else had L—nsd—n long since been possess'd of that pow'r
Which England took from him, in splenetic hour.
He was always a Friend to his Country's Cause,
The prop of her Church, the support of her Laws;
He ne'er with Republicans chose to accord,
And his Foes never call'd him the Levelling Lord.
He made the fam'd Peace of the year Eighty Three,
A Peace, John, as good for himself, as for thee.
In his speech he is open, and candid no doubt,
For which side he espouses, no man can find out;
Whether Whig, whether Tory, of High Church, or Low;
You may puzzle your brains, but you never will know.
As a proof that the Marquis is no Partizan,
Let the world call six persons his Friends—if it can.[18]
Great Jekyll, that man so renowned at the Bar,
More witty than Fielding, more learned than Parr,
Who punning despises, as L—nsd—n does place,
Says, his Patron's pure mind, is as fair as his face,
That his Bounty and Eloquence equally flow,
To comfort the Weak, and to succour the Low.
Yet this eloquent speaker, this statesman so just,
No Sect will confide in, no Party will trust;
And I speak it, alas! with reproach to mankind,
To his Merits and Virtue, his Country is blind!
And when full of honours and Years he shall die,
Ungrateful Britannia, will not heave a sigh;
Nay, perhaps with a sneer, she may scoffingly say,
The Sun of my Glory, is faded away!![19]
"ZTIF."
—(Times, Feb. 16, 1793.)
"No less than eighty four actions of bribery are brought on the business of the Stockbridge election; the penalties sued for amount to £42,000."—(Times, Feb. 28, 1793.)
"'Want of information is our bane,' says the female politician in the Humourist: but the following anecdote, which is a fact, will prove that want of information is not numbered among the wants of Administration. A Young Gentleman, Clerk in an Office under Government, in consequence of strong entreaties from a friend, accompanied him to a meeting of about thirty, at a tavern, when, after dinner, several very seditious toasts were given, the visitor was called on, and gave the King; this toast, however, being rejected, and all expostulations proving in vain, he left the company soon after, and the next day, by the advice of his friends, waited on Mr. Pitt, to tell his story. But, judge his surprise, when the Minister, interrupting him, produced a paper, in which was written the names of the parties, the order in which they sate, the toasts drank, and here, sir, added Mr. Pitt, observe your own name placed at the bottom!!!"—(Times, March 5, 1794.)
"Diamond cut Diamond.—Dr. Priestly, we will not say lately, gave 'the Sans Culottes of England' at a dinner party. A Clergyman of the Church of England, willing to get rid of politics, archly exclaimed—'Yes, with all my heart, I presume you mean the single ladies, for the married ones generally wear the breeches.' The wit being called upon in his turn, Dr. Priestley desired the President to be on his guard, for he saw plainly that the Clergyman, if presented with an INCH, would take an ELL. 'Thank you for the hint, Doctor,' replied the Clerical Humourist. 'Yes, I'll take three L's, so here's Liberty, Loyalty, and Lawn Sleeves!' The room, of course, was in a roar, and the Doctor, quite SHOCKED, went off like lightning without a CONDUCTOR."—(Times, March 4, 1794.)
"The late contest at Wycombe, between Sir F. Baring and Mr. Dashwood, was carried on to a very high pitch by the mob. Lord Wycombe was thrown down in the mud. Mr. Dashwood lost his hat in the affray, and all was confusion and riot. The Lansdowne interest, however, prevailed, and Sir Francis was returned."—(Times, Feb. 7, 1794.)
"Sir Francis Baring is elected Member for High Wycombe, in the room of Sir John Jervis. Sir Francis was opposed by Sir John Dashwood. The votes were, for Sir F. B. 29, Sir John D. 22."—(Times, Feb. 5, 1794.)
"The Society for Constitutional Information, held a meeting at the Crown and Anchor, in the Strand, on Friday last, where toasts of the most seditious tendency were drunk, and sentiments expressed which ought to send the speakers to Botany Bay. The number of seditionists who met on the above occasion, amounted to 300 persons; among whom were not to be found above three who possessed an acre of land in this country. They were men mostly in desperate circumstances, who had everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by a Revolution. They toasted success to the French, sung the Marseillois treasonable Hymn, and Ça ira, arraigned the justice of the law that had punished traitors in Scotland, Ireland, and England, and gave the health of those traitors. They abused and vilified the House of Commons, called the Royal Family, and the Nobility of Great Britain, beggars: said it was the interest of the people to join with those struggling in the cause against which our Country was fighting. In short they did everything short of active rebellion."—(Times, May 5, 1794.)
"On a lamp post, in the Westminster-Road, is a paper with the Title of Public Notice, respecting some parish business, and immediately underneath it, is Sir Joseph Mawbey's late speech at Epsom. Two sailors stopping on Sunday to read it, when one had began, the other cried out—'Stop, Jack: you're wrong, don't you see it is beneath Public Notice?' alluding to the paper above it: and they both walked away."—(Times, Nov. 3, 1794.)
A Reform Bill was sorely needed in the matters of Elections.
"Election for Launceston, Cornwall. Candidates, Hon. Mr. Rawdon, Mr. Brogden. The numbers were as follows:—
| Hon. Mr. Rawden and Mr. Brogden, | 12. |
| Dalkeith and Garthshore, | 11. |
"This contest here was a hard fought battle between the Duke of Northumberland and the Duke of Buccleugh. Both parties have spent a great deal of money: but the former has carried the day."—(Times, June 6, 1796.)
"Shrewsbury Election.—The state of the Poll on Monday was as follows:—Sir W. Pulteney, 1607; John Hill, Esq., 834; Hon. W. Hill, 832. The Election, it is thought, will cost Sir Richard Hill £100,000. The expence to each party is about £1000 per day."—(Times, June 9, 1796.)
"A certain new Member for a Borough in the West of England, is indebted to the family Jewels of his wife for bearing the expence of his Election. Not only her diamonds, but the greater part of her cloaths have been withheld. Those that were returned to her, would have disgraced her waiting woman."—(Times, July 4, 1796.)
"Yesterday conformable to an ancient ridiculous custom, came on the Election, at Wandsworth, for a Mayor of Garratt. The candidates were two—Sir George Cooke, Greengrocer and Inhabitant of Lambeth: and Sir Harry Dimsdale, a Muffin Baker. Sir George set off from his house in the morning, surrounded by all the appendages of grandeur, and placed in an open landau, drawn by six beautiful horses, with postillions on the first four, elegantly attired in red. A coach and four preceded him all the way in equal style.
"After he had arrived at the entrance of Wandsworth, his horses were taken out by the mob, and he was drawn by them to the Hustings, where he joined his opponent, who was little short of Sir George in point of etiquette. After a long preamble from each party, promising unremitting attention to the duties of the office, the honours of the day were conferred on Sir George Cooke."—(Times, Aug. 25, 1796.)
"Garrat Election.—Most of the Morning Prints of yesterday misstated this business. It was Sir Harry Dimsdale, and not Sir George Cooke, who was returned. Those who supported Sir George, did not even put him in nomination. He was drawn there, it is true, but he made no stand: he gave up the contest, and Sir Harry was crowned with a green bough, and the horses taken from his carriage by the populace, who drew him in triumph to the Bull, at East Sheen, to dinner, where above six hundred people sat down to a plentiful dinner. After dinner, it was proposed that Sir Harry should go, on Friday, in State, to the Royal Circus, in St. George's Fields, and this motion being carried, we understand the Muffin Knight will actually be there this evening."—(Times, Aug. 26, 1796.)
This was the last of these mock elections—and we may well pause for a while, and examine this curious institution—unique in its way—not thoroughly well-known—and whose origin, even, is in dispute.
Not far from Wandsworth, on the road to Tooting, is found the hamlet of Garrett, or Garrat, which, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, appears to have consisted of a single house, called "the Garvett." This was, at the time of its destruction, about the year 1760, in the possession of the Broderick family, and its grounds were then let to a market gardener. Lyson's, writing in 1792, says the hamlet consisted of about 50 houses—but it grew until it became incorporated into Wandsworth, and its site is still known by "Garret Lane," "Garret Green," "Garret Hill," &c.
As regards the curious mock election which took place here with each new Parliament, nothing certain is known, and opinions are divided, as to its origin. Dr. Ducarel, an antiquary, writing in 1754, tells us, that as far as he can find out, it began, some 60 or 70 years previously, with some Wandsworth Watermen, who went to a public house, called the Leather Bottle, at Garrat, to spend a merry day—and, it being a general election, they, in fun, chose one of their number as Member for Garrat.
Jeffrey Dunstan,—Ordinary Costume.
Another version is given in the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1781, in which a writer says he was told, that about thirty years previously, several persons who lived near that part of Wandsworth which adjoins to Garrat Lane, had formed a kind of Club, not merely for the pleasures of the table, but to concert measures for removing the encroachments made on that part of the Common; and to prevent any others being made, for the future. When a sufficient sum of money had been subscribed amongst them, they brought an action against the encroacher, in the name of the president (or, as they called him, Mayor,) of the Club. They gained their suit, with costs, and, ever after, the president, was called "the Mayor of Garrat." This event happening at the time of a general election, the ceremony, which took place every new parliament, of choosing outdoor members for the borough of Garrat, was continued.
The earliest record of Members being chosen, is in 1747, when three Candidates for the honour appeared. Lord Twankum Squire Blow me down (Willis, a Waterman) and Squire Gubbins, (one Simmonds, a publican.) The "Clerk," and "Recorder," issued from an imaginary Town Hall. There were proper Hustings, at which an oath was administered to the electors which, according to Grose, was sworn on a brick bat—and the qualification was, that the juror had had an amour in the surrounding open fields.
There was a great deal of rough wit in the candidate's speeches, and Foote, Garrick, and Wilkes, were credited with writing their addresses. Foote even wrote a play, called "the Mayor of Garratt," which was produced at Drury Lane. There were elections in 1761, 1763, 1768, &c. That of 1781—was famous for the magnificence of its procession—having a real live man in armour. In 1784, Sir Jeffrey Dunstan (they all dubbed themselves knights) was elected to the honourable post, and he held it till his death in 1796.
This worthy needs a passing notice. His birth, and education, were but humble, for he was found, wrapped in a cloth, on the door step of a Church warden, of St. Dunstan's in the East—hence his name of Dunstan. He grew up deformed, and rickety, and, at the age of 12, was apprenticed to a greengrocer, for 9 years—but the servitude galled him, and he ran away, finding employment at Birmingham. He returned to London in 1776 and soon afterwards married—and had two daughters, who were really fine young women. He was squalid, and filthy, in his dress, and got his living by buying, and selling, old wigs. His humour, however, gained him his election for Garrett. The accompanying illustrations shew him in his ordinary dress, as "Old Wigs," and in the superb court suit which he sported at election times.
The Election, at last, led to such disgraceful scenes, that even the publicans, who were its chief mainstay, would no longer support it: and Sir Harry Dimsdale, holds the proud pre-eminence of being the last elected Member.
Sir Jeffrey Dunstan,—Court Dress.