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
At the end of the election there was an immense crowd collected for
the chairing of Fox. A classic car was prepared, an improvement on
the perilous glory of being hoisted on the shoulders of excited
chairmen, or, worse still, lifted on those of volunteers--intoxicated
alike with enthusiasm and drinking toasts. The Whig chief mounted
his triumphal chariot; a multitudinous procession following, closed
by the state-carriages of the Duchesses of Portland and Devonshire,
drawn by six horses each. Fox descended from the car at Devonshire
House, where was erected a temporary scaffolding, on which was raised
a bevy of notabilities, including the Prince of Wales, with the Duke
and Duchess of Devonshire, to whose exertions Fox owed a debt of
gratitude. A commemorative dinner was given at Willis’s Rooms, where
Fox made a glowing speech on the subject of the election. The Prince
of Wales, after attending the king at a review at Ascot, rode up St.
James’s Street in his uniform, and was received with acclamations, in
acknowledgment of his partisanship for the Whig chief, whose favours
he wore,--and ended his day of triumph by dining at Devonshire House,
where he appeared wearing Fox’s colours (the Washington uniform), and
with a laurel branch in token of victory.
[Illustration: Sir Cecil Wray.
Sam House.
Charles James Fox.
THE WESTMINSTER DESERTER DRUMMED OUT OF THE REGIMENT. DEFEAT OF SIR
CECIL WRAY. HUSTINGS, COVENT GARDEN, WESTMINSTER ELECTION. 1784. BY T.
ROWLANDSON.
“Sir Cecil, be aisy, I won’t be unshivil
Now the Man of the Paple is chose in your stead;
From swate Covent Garden you’re flung to the Divil,
By Jabers, Sir Cecil, you’ve bodder’d your head.
“To be sure, much avail to you all your fine spaiches,
’Tis nought but palaver, my honey, my dear,
While all Charley’s voters stick to him like laiches,
A friend to our liberties and our small beer.
“_The Irish Chairmen to Sir Cecil Wray._”
[_Page 284._]
[Illustration: LIBERTY AND FAME INTRODUCING FEMALE PATRIOTISM (DUCHESS
OF DEVONSHIRE) TO BRITANNIA. 1784. BY T. ROWLANDSON.
“She smiles,
Infused with a Fortitude from Heaven.”--SHAKESPEARE, _The Tempest_.
“Let envy rail and disappointment rage,
Still Fox shall prove the wonder of the age!
“Triumph and Fame shall every step attend
His King’s best subject and his country’s friend!”
[_Page 285._]
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