A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 32

A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 32

The city election is further illustrated by an engraving called, “A

Stir in the City; or, some Folks at Guildhall,” which represents

various groups of citizens and persons prominent at the time, assembled

before the Guildhall, while the six candidates are borne along on

a long frame with six seats, and supported on men’s shoulders, the

procession being headed by a bishop; the party is received in state by

the sheriffs, who are assuring the prelate, “as my Lord Rabbi,” that

“the Guildhall is not the Synagogue,” and “no sons of Levi have place

here;”--in general, the bishops supported the Naturalization Bill.

Dr. Ward, then before the public as an advertizing pill-vendor, is

from his coach distributing quack nostrums; he is acknowledging that

“not one will cure an Election Fever.” Gascoyne and Mary Squires, the

gipsy, crooked and leaning on her staff, are represented, with Hogarth

beside them; this refers to the charges against Squires brought by

Elizabeth Canning, and proved false on further investigation by Sir C.

Gascoyne, who retired from the city canvass, and successfully contested

Southwark. Candidates for Hertford, Winchester, and other places are

also introduced. A group of Jews stand by the Guildhall; one cries,

“What a shame it is we have no votes!” Sampson Gideon is present, and

another is confidentially remarking to him, “Tho’ you can’t vote,

Sampson, you may still do business there;” to which the contractor

replies, in reference to his expectation of sitting in parliament had

the Act to remove the disabilities of the Jews continued in force,

“I thought to have voted in another Building;” while a lean Hebrew

neighbour whispers, “You have an excellent hand at a Lottery, all the

world knows.” Orator Henley, standing in his tub, is recommending

his butcher friends from Newport Market to convert the voters into

Jews; and a hawker is crying, “Sir Andrew Freeport’s Address [to the

Livery of London] for nothing.” The state of the polls for London and

Oxfordshire are also given.

 

Of the six candidates carried in chairs, two and two, Sir John

Barnard (at the head of the poll, 3553), is saying, “These are my

fellow-citizens; I must not forsake them in my old age, for I always

loved them.” Slingsby Bethel (3547), as president of the Free British

Fishery Society, promises “the Herring Fishery shall thrive.” Beckford

(2941) is made to declare, “I’ll vote for a new Bridge [Blackfriars];

but not for a new Jew Bill.” Sir R. Ladbrooke (3390) is present, and so

are the defeated candidates, Sir Richard Glyn, and, at the bottom of

the poll, Sir W. Calvert, with the Jew Bill in his pocket--for which he

asserts he “only voted!”

 

A further explanation of the allusions conveyed in this satire is

afforded by the verses which accompanied the design:--

 

“O! see my Raree Show, good Folks,

All you who love Election Jokes,

You, John a Stiles! and John a Nokes,

Doodle, Doodle, Do.

 

“See Mr. Sheriff with his wand

Has put the Bishop at a stand,

Who takes Guildhall for Holy Land.

 

“There’s Sampson, full of discontent,

Because he’s not in Parliament;

Which was his very heart’s Intent.

 

“See Henley, with his surgeons there,

For Jew conversion all prepare,

Butchers cure cases, I declare.

 

“Sir Andrew Freeport has his eye

Upon the List and the Livery,

Fox, Barnard, Bethel, Beckford cry.

 

“A Beauty, Mistress Squires, see,

For Mr. Hogarth and I agree,

Beauty’s a Lane as crooked as she.

 

“There Doctor Ward, with looks demure,

Is giving his pills, but he is sure

Election fevers have no cure.”

 

The struggle for election was also epitomized under the popular

paraphrase of a race-course: “The Parliamentary Race; or, the City

Jockies” (April, 1754). Sir John Barnard is first on “Steady,” Mr.

Slingsby Bethel is second on “Buzzard;” Sir R. Ladbrooke on “Trimmer,”

and William Beckford on “Will o’ the Wisp,” are making great exertions

to cut out Sir Richard Glyn on “Little Driver,” who is flogging his

horse to keep the third place, which he ultimately lost, his name

standing fifth at the close of the poll; Sir Crisp Gascoyne is left

behind with “Miss Canning;” Sir William Calvert has come to grief,

his horse, “Loose Legs,” having stumbled over a Jew pedlar, and, with

the rider, been thrown out of the race. The contest is witnessed by

horsemen, gentlemen on foot occupying the stand which the horses must

pass, and the usual crowd of spectators present on a race-course,

including an itinerant gin-seller dispensing spirits to workmen, in

allusion to the distiller, Sir R. Ladbrooke. Various observations are

made on the chances of the race: “Old Steady [Barnard] is in first!”

“Buzzard [Bethel] will blunder in second!” “Will o’ the Wisp [Beckford]

has blood in him!” and other comments, as indicated above. The state of

the “Parliamentary Stakes” is expounded in a copy of verses, possibly a

parody after one of Tom D’Urfey’s odd ditties:--

 

 

“THE PARLIAMENTARY RACE; OR, THE CITY JOCKIES.

 

“O! Shade of D’Urfey, grant me Vit-a

To sing those Jockies of the city,

Who want in Parliament to get-a

Doodle, Doodle, Do.

 

“First comes Sir John, who wins the day;

His horse is ready to run away,

Nor will at all for ‘Loose Legs’ stay.

 

“But who is he on that scrambling Brute?

What, don’t you know, Sir, ’tis past dispute?

O! that is Alderman Orator Mute.

 

“Who flogs so hard, the third to be in?

O, that is a Knight, Sir Richard Glyn,

And ‘Little Driver,’ too, will win.

 

“O! see how he spins there, ‘Will of the Wisp’-a,

He’ll distance ‘Miss Canning,’ and Sir Crisp-a,

And all the Broomstaffs of the Gipsy.

 

“‘O! Damn the Jew,’ Sir William cries,

As o’er his horse he headlong flies.

Ay, that damn’d Jew threw dust in his Eyes.

 

“Sir Robert upon his ‘Trimming Nag’

Has too much spirit too long to lag,

He soon will pass the distance-flag.

 

“O! where’s ‘Miss Canning’? Out of sight,

Ay, her best strokes are in the night,

Now bring her up--or never, Knight.”

 

The summary of both the London and the Oxfordshire contests, which

were regarded by ministers as of the utmost consequence, are given

pictorially in a carefully engraved print, entitled “All the World

in a Hurry; or, the Road from London to Oxford,” April, 1754. At

the extremities of the plate are views of the respective cities; to

these the candidates and their supporters are proceeding on horse and

foot, by two opposite lines of road. To the right, where the London

cavalcade may be taken to commence, the largest mounted figure, and

that nearest the spectator, is intended for Sir John Barnard, the head

of the poll, who is trotting along at a steady pace, contented with

his progress: “My steed is slow, but sure, Sir Robert.” Sir Robert

Ladbrooke, who is urging on his own career, replies, “What! without a

spur, Sir John?”--Barnard having resorted to no election manœuvres,

and not even canvassed the voters. Alderman Slingsby Bethel, jogging

along comfortably in his gig, is observing; “I’ll leave my Election

to the Arbitration of the Livery.” Sir Richard Glyn’s pace, in a

post-chaise and pair, is checked by a group of pedestrians in the

pathway; “What the Devil can’t you get before the Jews, Tom?” he is

inquiring of his postillion, who replies, “They are in possession of

the Road, Sir Richard:” Glyn, although for some time third in the

voting, finally failed in his election. Also behind the group of

foot-passengers are two prosperous-looking personages on horseback,

Sir William Calvert and William Beckford, both late members for the

city; the former is bantering his companion, “You won’t be first at

Guildhall, Brother Beckford;” the famous patriot was returned third

on the poll at the election of 1754: his rival retorts, alluding to

Calvert’s position at the previous contest, “Nor you second, Sir

William;” the support Calvert had lent the Jews’ Naturalization Bill

was the cause of his being rejected in 1754. In the centre of the

group of Hebrew obstructives is a stout man, mopping his forehead and

complaining, as he drags along wearily, “Verily, England is too hot at

this time of the year!”--this figure represents Sir Sampson Gideon,

the loan contractor, who is surrounded by his co-religionists. One

long-bearded Israelite is crying that “Sampson refuses to sweat a

little for our friend Sir William!” (Calvert); another Jew declares,

“Sir William has been sweated often on our account;” and a third is

saying, “We must give him a little Grease for once” (_i.e._ spend

money to further his election),--this refers to the encouragement the

Jews offered Sir William Calvert, support rendered in return for his

assistance in passing the Jews’ Naturalization Bill, which nearly cost

the ministry their working majority, while one of the city members,

Calvert, the great brewer of the day, lost both his popularity and his

place in parliament. This measure had been passed by the Pelhams in

the last session, and, until its repeal, Sampson Gideon looked forward

to a seat as a representative of the City of London. On the eve of

the dissolution the ministers had repealed their unpopular Bill, and

this concession to public opinion was regarded as an electioneering

stratagem on their part. At the other end of the London group is Sir

Crisp Gascoyne, who gave up his candidature for the city, and put