Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 453: Volume 18, New Series, September 4, 1852Various
Philosophy
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 453: Volume 18, New Series, September 4, 1852
Various
Periodicals
newly-begun row, Levison Stopford, Esq., was declared duly elected.
Men cannot have Waterloos of their own every day. No wonder, then,
that the honourable member's glory was too great for his prudence:
scarcely had the poll closed, when it became generally known in front
of the Stopford Arms, that there were two barrels of strong beer,
which his liberality had devoted to the populace. On the publication
of this intelligence, the ancient ceremony of chairing went on with
more than usual vigour. It was a quiet autumn evening, but there was
no peace for Tattleton. The shops and houses of Stopford's friends
were lighting up in every quarter for a grand illumination, while the
opposition and the stingy were closing as quickly as possible. Half
the rabble of the county were gathered in the streets; all our own
respectability occupied doors and windows; and forth from the
town-hall, in a substantial armchair, decorated with bunches of
ribbons, blue and red--the Stopford colours--borne in high triumph by
his most zealous and noisy adherents, came the newly-chosen senator (a
rather stout gentleman, and father of a hopeful family), scattering
coppers and silver with no sparing hand, from a large canvas bag,
among the crowd, who roared and scrambled in all the might of beer.
Old politicians said it was a great victory for Whig principles, and
many a joke was cracked at the unsuccessful candidate's expense. Some
believed he had retired behind bolt and bar; others that he was
defying fortune at a late dinner. If the latter statement were true,
Sommerset's company must have been small. The Earl and Sir Jonas had
long since washed their hands of him, as incorrigibly obstinate. The
more influential of his supporters kept out of sight, being rather
ashamed of the losing side; and, I grieve to say, the barrels had
utterly shaken the faith of many a voteless adherent, the freeholders
of our streets and lanes, who now shouted Stopford instead of
Cloudesly for ever. Some there were, nevertheless, with souls above
barrels--men who had votes, and men who had none--and they collected
their forces at the foot of the main street, as vantage-ground from
which to groan at the above-mentioned procession, and inform Mr
Stopford of their intentions to unseat him for bribery and corruption.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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