A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 81

A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 81

On his reception in Oxford in the character of a canvasser, Thackeray

addressed the electors with sturdy independence, beyond electioneering

persuasive beguilements:--“You know whether I have acted honestly

towards you; and you on the other side will say whether I ever

solicited a vote when I knew that vote was promised to my opponent; or

whether I have not always said, ‘Sir, keep your word. Here is my hand

on it. Let us part good friends.’” Although beaten by the Right Hon.

Edward Cardwell, Thackeray retained his good humour, energetically

enjoining the extension of courtesy to his successful opponent and to

the opposition party. A cry of “Bribery” being raised against them,

he continued: “Don’t cry out bribery. If you know of it, prove it;

but, as I am innocent of bribery myself, I do not choose to fancy that

other men are not equally loyal and honest.” He attributed his defeat

to the advanced views he avowed--and which, as he asserted, “he would

not blink to be made a duke or a marquis to-morrow”--on the question

of “allowing a man to have harmless pleasures when he had done his

worship on Sundays. I expected to have a hiss, but they have taken a

more dangerous shape--the shape of slander. Those gentlemen who will

take the trouble to read my books--and I should be glad to have as

many of you for subscribers as will come forward--will be able to say

whether there is anything in them that should not be read by any one’s

children, or my own, or by any Christian man.”

 

The most characteristic anecdote which has survived of this interesting

incident in Thackeray’s experience as an “electioneerer,” exhibits

him in a thoroughly John Bull attitude. While looking out of the

hotel window, amused at the humours of the scene, in which he was

only the second performer, a passing crowd, from hooting, proceeded

to rough-handling, and the supporters of Mr. Cardwell, being in the

minority against their assailants, would have been badly maltreated,

but for Thackeray’s starting up in the greatest possible excitement,

and, rushing downstairs, notwithstanding the efforts to detain him

of more hardened electioneers, who evidently were of opinion that a

trifling correction of the opposite party might be beneficial _pour

encourager les autres_; he was not to be deterred, but, expressing

in strong language his opinion of such unmanly behaviour, he hurled

himself into the thick of the fray; and, awful spectacle for his party!

his tall form--Thackeray, be it remembered, stood upwards of 6ft.

2in.--was next seen towering above the crowd, dealing about him right

and left with frantic energy in defence of his opponent’s partisans and

in defiance of his own friends.

 

 

SUMMARY OF BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.--BRIBERY ACTS.

 

In 1854, an important Act was passed consolidating and amending

previous Acts relating to this offence, from 7 Will. 3 (1695) to 5 and

6 Vict. c. 184.

 

Messrs. Sykes and Rumbold fined and imprisoned for

bribery 14 March, 1776

 

Messrs. Davidson, Parsons, and Hopping, imprisoned for

bribery at Ilchester 28 April, 1804

 

Mr. Swan, M.P. for Penryn, fined and imprisoned, and

Sir Manasseh Lopez sentenced to a fine of £10,000 and

two years’ imprisonment for bribery at Grampound Oct. 1819

 

The members for Dublin and Liverpool unseated 1831

 

The friends of Mr. Knight, candidate for Cambridge,

convicted of bribery 20 Feb. 1835

 

Elections for Ludlow and Cambridge made void 1840

 

Sudbury disfranchised, 1848; St. Alban’s also 1852

 

Elections at Derby and other places declared void for

bribery 1853

 

Corrupt Practices Act passed 1854

 

In the case of Cooper versus Slade it was ruled that

the payment of travelling expenses was bribery 17 April, 1858

 

Gross bribery practised at Gloucester, Wakefield, and

Berwick 1859

 

Mr. William H. Leatham convicted of bribery at

Wakefield 19 July, 1860

 

Government commissions of inquiry respecting bribery,

sat at Great Yarmouth, Totnes, Lancaster, and Reigate,

and disgraceful disclosures were made Aug.-Nov. 1866

 

The boroughs were disfranchised by the Reform Bill,

passed 5 Aug. 1867

 

The Parliamentary Elections Act enacted that election

petitions should be tried by a court appointed for the

purpose, passed 31 July, 1868

 

First trials under this Act: Mr. Roger Eykyn (at

Windsor) was declared duly elected, 15 Jan., and Sir H.

Stracey (at Norwich) was unseated 18 Jan. 1869

 

Dr. Kinglake, Mr. Fenelly, and others, were sentenced

to be fined for bribery in parliamentary elections 10 May, 1870

 

Beverley, Bridgwater, Sligo, and Cashel disfranchised

for bribery and corruption 1870

 

Much corruption during the elections of April. Members

for Oxford, Chester, Boston, and other places unseated 1880

 

Stringent bill against bribery brought in by Sir Henry

James, attorney-general 7 Jan. 1881

 

 

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