England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
In connection with electioneering, there was a curious action for
libel tried on June 18th, at the Court of King's Bench, before Lord
Tenterden and a jury. It arose out of certain proceedings at Great
Grimsby, during the General Election in 1830. The plaintiff was
lieutenant of the _Greyhound_ Revenue cutter; the defendant, an
attorney at Great Grimsby. The libel was the following letter, dated
from Great Grimsby, and published in some of the London papers. The
blues were the Whig party; the reds, their opponents:--
"At the late election, some extraordinary interferences took
place on the part of the persons employed in his Majesty's
Revenue Service here. The Collector of the Customs was observed
to join in the parade of the red party, and in its greetings and
huzzas. His Majesty's Revenue cutters, _Greyhound_ and _Lapwing_,
landed from seventy to eighty of their crews, who kicked up
occasional rows, to intimidate the peaceful inhabitants and the
blue party; and in one of these, which became a serious riot and
affray, they were actually led on by one of their commanders,
Lieutenant Howe, of the _Greyhound_. This gentleman canvassed for
the reds, attended their parades in their uniform, and wore a red
ribbon, the cognizance of the party his efforts were intended to
support. Several sailors were employed to erect a booth in front
of the lodgings of the red candidates. A top-mast from the stores
of the _Greyhound_ was raised up, to which a stage was fixed, for
the red candidates to make speeches from. Custom House flags were
carried in the red parades, and hung out of public-houses in the
red interest, and a Custom House ensign was suspended from the
top-mast in front of the red candidates lodgings. _The Greyhound
was laid in the Humber, about two miles from Grimsby, to receive
such of the blue party as could be made intoxicated, and
kidnapped on board her; and two of them were actually confined
there until the election was over._ Are such things tolerated by
Government?"
This letter, with the exception of the passage in italics, was
published in the _Globe_ of August 6, 1830. A similar letter, with
that passage included, was published in the _Courier_ on the 20th of
the same month. Evidence was given confirming the truth of the libel
in every respect, whilst Captain Harris and Colonel Challoner, the
red candidates, stated that they and the plaintiff did every thing in
their power to prevent disturbance, though the attack was commenced by
the blue party. These and several other witnesses went into details in
contradiction to the testimony of the defendant's witnesses, but the
jury found for the plaintiff, damages £10.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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