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 fact that Wray--who, as a double “Renegado,” shortly rejoined the
Whigs--appears to have gained but scant sympathy, was defeated and done
for, is turned to satirical account in a travestied view of Fox, North,
and the Duchess--the latter wearing a foxtail in her hat--“For the
Benefit of the Champion.--A Catch, to be performed at the New Theatre,
Covent Garden. For admission apply to the Duchess. N.B.--_Gratis_ to
those who wear large tails;” the lady is pointing to a headstone put up
in memory of “Poor Cecil Wray, Dead and turned to Clay.”
[Illustration: Duchess of Devonshire.
Charles James Fox.
Lord North.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHAMPION--A CATCH. DEFEAT OF THE MINISTERIAL
CANDIDATE, SIR CECIL WRAY, WESTMINSTER ELECTION. 1784. BY T. ROWLANDSON.
“_Oh! help Judas, lest he fall into the Pitt of Ingratitude!!!_
“The _prayers_ of all bad Christians, Heathens, Infidels, and
Devil’s Agents, are most earnestly requested for their dear
friend JUDAS ISCARIOT, Knight of the _back-stairs_,
lying at the period of political dissolution, having received
a dreadful wound from the exertions of the lovers of liberty
and the constitution, in the poll of the last ten days at the
Hustings, nigh unto the Place of Cabbages.” #/ ]
The fate of Wray, with Fox reinstated in his seat for Westminster, and
the concluding election scenes at Covent Garden are figured in “The
Westminster Deserter Drumm’d out of the Regiment.” Sam House, with
his perfectly bald head, and dressed in the clean and natty nankeen
jacket and trousers, his invariable wear summer and winter, is drumming
Wray off the stage: “May all Deserters feel Public Resentment”--is
the sentiment of both the indignant Chelsea veterans and buxom
maid-servants to whom Wray’s projects had given mortal offence. “The
Man of the People” is planting the standard of Liberty and Britannia,
and acknowledging his gratitude to his supporters with simple
fervour--“Friends and fellow-citizens, I cannot find words to express
my feelings to you on the victory.”
Finally, as an apotheosis of the fair champion who had contributed
most of all to the success and glory of the triumph over the Court,
Rowlandson etched the allegorical picture of “Liberty and Fame
introducing Female Patriotism to Britannia.”
At the close of the poll, Fox was 235 votes ahead of Wray, but, as
related, the high bailiff, Corbett, acting partially, refused to return
him on the plea that a scrutiny had been demanded; Fox was also a
candidate for Kirkwall, so that, in case of defeat at Westminster he
might still have a seat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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