The Letter-Bag of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope — Volume 1
History
The Letter-Bag of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope — Volume 1
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Spencer-Stanhope, Elizabeth Wilhelmina Coke, Lady, 1795-1873
I had no time to write to you this Day Se'nnight from Carlisle after
my Election. I got to York on Tuesday night, attended the Nomination
at York the next day, which was carried almost unanimously in Favour
of Wilberforce, and by a great Majority in favour of Lascelles over
Lord Milton, but nevertheless, this young Lordling, who was only of
age the third of this month, told us he would demand a Poll on
Wednesday next. My Canvass against him has been very successful and I
mean, having concluded all my arrangements, both here and at
Horsforth, to give my Vote on Thursday or Friday.
There has been a flood at Silkstone more tremendous than ever was
known by the bursting of a cloud on the Hill to the West of the
Village. An old woman and two children were drowned in one of the
cottages near the Vicarage, and much damage was done all along the
Course of the Brook. Strange Events seem becoming frequent in this
Neighbourhood, for last year, you may have heard, during a violent
storm a cottage was struck, an old woman and her two sons knocked out
of the chairs in which they were seated at the table, and the soles of
one of the Boys' shoes ripped from off his feet, although the entire
party suffered no other damage.
To York, consequently, Stanhope repaired, where he found Lord Milton
prepared to hold his own with spirit. On being taunted with his youth, he
replied in the well-known words of Lord Chatham that it was a fault he
would remedy every day, while a still more brilliant rejoinder to the
attacks of his opponent gained him many votes. Mr Lascelles, determined to
make a _coup_, on the Nomination day stepped across the hustings, and
referring contemptuously to the age and short stature of his rival,
offered him a whip and a top. Lord Milton took both with unruffled
composure, and throwing the top into the crowd, he handed the whip back to
his adversary with the remark that he thought Mr Lascelles' father might
find greater use for it to flog his slaves in Jamaica. As the most vexed
question at the election was the emancipation of the slaves, this sally
provoked great enthusiasm. None the less, on the first day Mr Lascelles
headed the poll.
_Walter Spencer-Stanhope to John Spencer-Stanhope._
YORK, _May 22nd, 1807._
MY DEAR JOHN,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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