A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering in the Old Days: Showing the State of Political Parties and Party Warfare at the Hustings and in the House of Commons from the Stuarts to Queen VictoriaGrego, Joseph
History
A History of Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering in the Old Days: Showing the State of Political Parties and Party Warfare at the Hustings and in the House of Commons from the Stuarts to Queen Victoria
Grego, Joseph
Great Britain -- Politics and government; Great Britain. Parliament -- Election
The representatives elected by the people had done their utmost, as
respected the venal majority, to betray their trust and those who
had sent them to the Commons. Resistance was countenanced, and, by
counter-addresses to the throne, the king was prejudiced against
listening to the wishes of the people. This remonstrance elicited his
Majesty’s reply “_that he would lay it before his Parliament_;” a
curious conclusion, inasmuch as his afflicted subjects specially prayed
therein that the king would be their safeguard against the majority
in that body, who had betrayed the nation, and to the deliberation of
that corrupted assembly the complaint--which affected the duration of
the House--was to be submitted for redress! The remonstrance, which
resembled an impeachment of the administration, was, in fact, handed
to the ministers under accusation, to be by them resisted, prosecuted,
or rendered ineffective at their discretion. The indignant judgments
enunciated by “Junius” against these unprincipled politicians, foes to
the kingdom, have been abundantly confirmed by the verdict of posterity.
The reception otherwise accorded to the Westminster remonstrance was
altogether undignified. When the deputation, headed by Sir Robert
Bernard, who had been returned member for that city by the unanimous
suffrage of the constituency, arrived at the palace gate, an extra
guard of soldiers was immediately turned out, not, however, as a
compliment, for--
“although there was not the least appearance of anything
disorderly, yet the soldiers behaved in a most insolent
manner, and struck many persons with their bayonets, and that
without provocation. The Gentlemen having alighted from their
carriages, amidst the acclamations of the people, walked
through the lane of soldiers, and went upstairs to the Levee
Room door, where they were met by one of the Grooms of the
Bedchamber, who asked Sir Robert Bernard if he had anything
to present to his Majesty? To which Sir Robert replied,
‘Yes, the Address, Remonstrance, and Petition of the City
of Westminster.’ Upon which the Groom of the Bedchamber
said, ‘He would go and acquaint the Lord-in-Waiting.’ He
went immediately, but not returning soon, Sir Robert Bernard
proposed to go into the Levee Room, which he did. On opening
the door, the same Groom of the Bedchamber said he could
not find the Lord-in-Waiting; but should soon. However, the
Gentlemen went on, and after some time the Lord-in-Waiting
came to them, and said, if they had anything to deliver to
his Majesty, he would receive it in the next room, whither
they accordingly went; and after some time, his Majesty coming
into the room, Sir Robert presented the Remonstrance open. His
Majesty delivered it to the Lord-in-Waiting, who delivered it
to another, who handed it to the Groom of the Bedchamber, and
he carried it off.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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