A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 13

A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 13

That a determined attitude was felt to be fitting is exhibited in the

protests of the House, printed for circulation, like the following:--

 

“Wednesday, October 27, 1680.

 

“Two Unanimous votes of this present Honourable and Worthy

Parliament concerning the subjects’ rights in Petitioning.

 

“_Resolved, Nemine Contradicente_,--

 

That it is and ever hath been the undoubted Right of the

subjects of England to petition the King for calling and

sitting of parliaments, and redressing of Grievances.

 

“_Resolved, Nemine Contradicente_,--

 

That to traduce such Petitioning is a violation of duty, and

to represent it to his Majesty as Traitorous and seditious, is

to betray the Liberty of the Subjects, and contributes to the

design of subverting the ancient, legal Constitution of this

Kingdom, and the Introducing Arbitrary Power.

 

“_Ordered_--That a Committee be appointed to enquire of all

those Persons as have offended against these Rights of the

subject.

 

“London: Printed for Francis Smith, Bookseller, at the Elephant

and Castle, near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill.”

 

Francis Smith was the publisher--

 

“who suffered a Chargeable Imprisonment in the Gaol of Newgate,

in December last, for printing and promoting Petitions for the

Sitting of this present Parliament.”

 

He is referred to with acrimony in the ballads by Tantivy and courtier

bards, among the “pestiferous crew of republican scribes.”

 

Charles’s first parliament was, amid the confusion of the time (the

revolution subverted and royalty restored), barely constituted; it

lasted from April 25, 1660, to December 29th, and, being assembled

without the king’s writ, was, with customary royal ingratitude

for “past favours,” considered by Charles as the _Convention_

Parliament.[11] The long _Cavalier Parliament_, some portion of

which, like the king, was in the pay of Louis XIV., is stigmatized

to posterity as the “Pensionary” Parliament; it met May 8, 1661,

and lasted until January 24, 1679; the members were doubly corrupt,

accepting money-bribes or lucrative offices from the Court, or being,

according to Barillon’s clear declarations, in the pay of France and

Holland, as regarded the patriotic members, who fiercely denounced the

venality of the Court. In 1675 the oath against bribery was opportunely

inaugurated, providing against corruption either from the Crown or

from any ambassador or foreign minister. The Pensionary Parliament,

which began its career by servile loyalty, and was merciless against

Republicans, towards its close opposing the unreasonable extension of

prerogative became factious and insubordinate, arrogating to itself the

control of legal procedure, and, according to the opinions of extreme

Royalists, generally proving itself a “scourge.”

 

The popular view of this venal legislature is given in the following

version:--

 

 

“A PENSIONER PARLIAMENT:

 

ANSWER TO THE BALLAD CALLED ‘THE CHEQUER INN.’

 

 

“I.

 

“Curse on such representatives!

They sell us all, our bairns and wives,

(Quoth Dick with indignation);

They are but engines to raise tax,

And the whole business of their acts

Is to undo the nation.

 

 

“II.

 

“Just like our rotten pump at home,

We pour in water when ’twon’t come,

And that way get more out,

So when mine host does money lack,

He money gives among the pack,

And then it runs full spout.

 

 

“III.

 

“By wise Volk, I have oft been told,

Parliaments grow nought as they grow old,

We groan’d under the Rump,

But sure this is a heavier curse,

That sucks and drains thus ev’ry purse,

By this old Whitehall pump.”

 

Another warning note is struck in the following ballad, aimed at the

reprobated Pensionary Parliament:--

 

 

“THE PARLIAMENT HOUSE TO BE LET.

 

“1678.

 

“Here’s a House to be let,

For Charles Stuart swore

By Portsmouth’s honour

He would shut up the door.

 

“Enquire at the Lodgings

Next door to the pope,

At Duke Lauderdale’s head

With a cravat of Rope,

 

“And there you will hear

How next he will let it,

If you pay the old price

You may certainly get it.

 

“He holds it in-tail

From his Father, who fast

Did keep it long shut,

But paid for’t at last.”

 

Charles II.’s third, or _Habeas Corpus_ Parliament, showed a

determination to exceed its predecessor in opposing the Court, and

seemed ambitious of imitating that of 1640, the reminiscences of which

were still of a portentous character, and filled with dread as regarded

the survivors of those uncompromising times:--

 

“The _Habeas Corpus_ act is past,

And so far we are safe;

He can’t imprison us so fast,

But straight we have relief;

He can’t deny us aught we ask,

In so much need he stands;

And before that we do money give,

We’ll tie up both his hands.”

 

Charles very naturally found this parliament beyond his control, so

it was prorogued May 27, 1679, to the 14th of August, but dissolved

on the 10th of July. The whole country was in commotion during August

and September in electioneering contests, preparing for the fourth

parliament. It is to be regretted that electioneering broadsides have,

as a rule, been allowed to perish; they would prove a mine of curious

information.

 

The following is a pertinent allusion to the eventualities of the

“poll:”--

 

“But most men did think

He had not so much chink,

Nor could pay for the poll of the County,

And therefore did fear

It would cost them too dear

Should they accept of his Bounty.”

 

(_The Worcestershire Ballad._)

 

The opprobrious terms of Whigs and Tories were freely exchanged. Here

is a Whig’s view of the “king’s men:”--

 

“As Rascals changing rags for scarlet coats,

Cudgell’d before, set up to cut Whig throats.”

 

The wit lay rather with the Cavaliers, though it must be confessed

their opponents had the best of the argument when reasoning on facts.

 

The definition of the nickname _Tory_, as it originally arose, is given

in “A New Ballad” (Narcissus Luttrell’s Collection):--

 

“The word _Tory’s_ of Irish Extraction,

’Tis a Legacy that they have left here,

They came here in their brogues,

And have acted like Rogues,

In endeavouring to learn us to Swear.”

 

By way of answer, the Tories exulted in their loyalty:--

 

“Let Tories guard the King,

Let Whigs on halters swing.”

 

The Court party denounced--

 

“Visions, Seditions,

And railing Petitions.”

 

The designs of the various factions were thus summed up:--

 

“Sir Tom would hang the _Tory_,

And let the _Whig_ go free:

Sir Bob would have a Commonwealth

And cry down Monarchy.”

 

The Tories retaliated upon their antagonists with interest, though they

feared the zealots not a little, as the following ballad illustrates: