A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 78

A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering 78

In spite of his sudden conversion, the electors of Westminster held

their respected member in too much veneration to inflict upon him the

ignominy of rejection; the wielder of the “Herculean club,” depicted

as the foremost leader among the “plebs” by George Cruikshank, who

has described the object of his shafts as “the eloquent and noble Sir

Francis Burdett,” was placed at the head of the poll by a majority of

five hundred votes over his antagonist, Leader, who had come forward

as the Radical champion to oppose his return. Sir Francis Burdett is

so prominent a personage in the annals of electioneering, as well as

in those of parliamentary history, that a specimen of his eloquence

may not be out of place; especially as the speech which he made to his

constituents after the declaration of the poll by the high bailiff

of Westminster is an admirable example of the orations which may be

considered appropriate to these memorable occasions on the part of

the successful candidate. Sir Francis rested his firm attitude on his

antipathy to see the British empire _dismembered_: history repeats

itself, and it was on the question of “Repeal of the Union” that he

broke with his party.

 

 

“SPEECH OF SIR FRANCIS BURDETT ON HIS FINAL RETURN FOR WESTMINSTER,

1837.

 

“GENTLEMEN, ELECTORS OF THE CITY AND LIBERTIES OF

WESTMINSTER--

 

“It now becomes my pleasing task to return you my most

sincere and grateful thanks for the high honour which you

have again conferred upon me. In the first place, I have to

thank you for the arrangements that you have made, and for the

consideration you have manifested in regard to the present

state of my health, and for the relief your attention has

afforded me from those duties which would have been painful

and difficult on this great and important occasion, and which

has rendered my part in the struggle comparatively easy and

full of satisfaction. (Cheers.) Permit me to congratulate you

upon the noble, the patriotic, the independent efforts you have

made, and through you, gentlemen, to congratulate the people at

large upon the glorious triumph of the English constitution,

which has been achieved against the vain and futile efforts

of Radicalism and democracy. Gentlemen, I congratulate you

upon the firm determination you have shown to maintain all the

great and inestimable institutions of this country against the

efforts of her enemies. (Loud cheers, with faint hisses.) The

task which I have now to perform is both short and pleasant,

and I shall not now detain you, after the triumph you have

achieved and the victory you have won, merely to indulge my

own feelings of exultation and of gratification; but this I

will say, that the electors of Westminster have by the result

of their noble and patriotic exertions set an example to the

people of England, to be looked up to and followed; and in

every part of this great nation I make no doubt but that this

brilliant example will have the happy effect of sending good

men, who love their country and venerate her constitution, to

unite for their defence, and at the same time to defeat the

machinations and conspiracies of the bad. (Loud applause.) I

will not dwell on these subjects, but this much I will observe,

that you are much indebted even to your enemies for the signal

triumph you have so nobly and so gloriously achieved. (Great

cheering.) The malignity and malice of some persons have done

much to aid the cause of the constitution; but I should say

that if there is one individual to whom you are more indebted

than any other, that person certainly was Mr. Daniel O’Connell.

(Loud cheers and groans.) The attacks of that individual have

tended to serve the cause which they were designed to injure.

Gentlemen, the big beggarman of Ireland (renewed cheers)

has mistaken the good sense and patriotism of the people of

England. He has intruded himself with his uncalled-for advice

upon the electors of Westminster, and with (as it now turns

out) his disregarded threats. He has intruded that advice and

those suggestions in an Irish letter, couched in a strain more

Irish than Irish itself (loud laughter), and containing in

every point that mixture of blarney and bully, the former of

which has only excited the disgust, and the latter the contempt

of the electors of Westminster. (Loud cheers, groans, and

laughter.) I know not what influence that letter may be said

to have had upon His Majesty’s ministers; but this I know,

that the people of England, and especially the electors of

Westminster, were made of sterner stuff. Whatever His Majesty’s

ministers may think proper to do, what course they may choose

to pursue, we have shown our determination to maintain and

support the English constitution and to resist to the uttermost

the dismemberment of the British empire, notwithstanding that

Mr. Daniel O’Connell is our declared and determined foe.

(Loud cheers, with shouts of disapprobation from the ‘Leader’

party.) In addition, I will merely say that you view as I do

the attempt to control your opinions lately made by the great

popish priest-ridden paid patriot of Ireland. (Great applause

and sensation.) And I will add this, that I wish such persons

would declare and destroy themselves as he has done; no danger

could then be apprehended, as I think it would be on all

occasions safer to have such persons my foes than my friends.

(Cheers, and yellings from the ‘Leader’ party.) Gentlemen, with

these observations I shall take my leave. The sun shines upon

our principles and our affections at this moment; but there is

a still brighter sunshine in every honest English heart at the

triumph achieved by you and the example you have set to the

rest of England. (Cheers.) Wishing you all good and happiness,

and full of the devotion I owe you electors of Westminster and

to the friends to the cause of England and the constitution,

I now take my leave. (Renewed cheering, which continued for

several minutes, during which time the hon. baronet bowed to

the meeting and retired from the hustings, accompanied as he

came, by a large body of his friends and supporters.)”

 

The situation of Mr. Leader was illustrated by a parody of Sir E.

Landseer’s picture of “The Dog and the Shadow;” the bone is Bridgwater

(which seat he relinquished to contest Westminster)--the latter is

inscribed on the shadow.

 

The sequel of the Westminster contest was given by HB as a “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 22,

1837). Lord Russell, Wellington, and others are assembled as spectators

in a booth to the right. Lord Castlereagh, the jockey, is bringing in

easily the high-mettled racer with Burdett’s face. Roebuck is vainly

whipping and spurring “Leader,” the second horse. Hume and O’Connell

are highly excited at the defeat of their favourite.

 

The question of a Repeal of the Union was one of a momentous order, and

accordingly a considerable interest seems to have attended Burdett’s

change of sides. Doyle has given a capital version of the story in

“Taking up a Fare. ‘All the World’s a Stage’” (May 24, 1837). The

coach represented is “Peel’s Stager;” Sir James Graham is ostler; Sir

Robert Peel, as “whip,” is raising up his reins and addressing the box

passenger, William IV., “We begin to load up capital well,” alluding

to Burdett, the fresh customer. “You don’t say so,” remarks the king.

Peel continues his reminiscences of the new inside passenger. “He as

is now getting in--was formerly a great ally of the ‘Comet.’[74] He

has since travelled occasionally with the ‘Mazeppa’[75] people; but,

for some time back, I have missed him off the road entirely.” The Duke

of Wellington, who is making everything secure, and Lord Lyndhurst

are in the “boot.” Sir Francis Burdett, still lamed with the gout, is

about to enter the coach; the door is held for him by Lord Stanley: “I

should know your face: didn’t you once drive the ‘Darby Dilly?’ What

are you doing now?” Lord Stanley (whom HB, in a former cartoon, had

drawn upsetting the “Darby Dilly” in question) is touching his hat to

Sir Francis, and replying, “At present, Sir, I’m with these people; but

since ‘the Dilly’ was done up I haven’t had no regular engagement. I

sometimes drives the ‘Conservative’ up a stage and sometimes take it

down.” Lord Castlereagh appears as Burdett’s tiger.

 

Burdett, the ex-Radical champion, still in his congenial character

of “Don Quixote,” is next shown attacking the “Lion of Democracy.”

The picture of this adventure is entitled “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” (June

17, 1837), shows the Whig wherry reduced to make great exertions to

keep ahead; of the six rowers, the faces of Palmerston, Duncannon,

and Melbourne are alone shown; Lord John Russell is steering. The

passengers are John Bull, with an uneasy __EXPRESSION__, seated beside the

king, who is evidently upset by the motion, and looks very unwell. The

parody runs--

 

“Row, brothers, row,

The stream runs fast,

The Raddies[76] are near,

And our daylight’s past.”

 

Leader’s fate over the Westminster contest (June 17, 1837) is summed

up as “A Dead Horse--a Sorry Subject,--what was once a Leader in the

Bridgwater Coach; supposed to have been driven to Death by his Cruel

Masters.” Hume is driving off the defeated in a knacker’s cart.

 

“We, the People of England” (July 1837), exhibits Messrs. Hume,

Roebuck, and Wakley as the “Three Tailors of Tooley Street,” all three

sitting cross-legged; the former, slate in hand, is working out one of