James T. of B. Castle, was the most extraordinary character of them all.
He was of a good family, his father having been an opulent merchant,
Alderman of London, and Member of Parliament. Whether this gentleman
had that determined and implacable spirit of resistance to the measures
of government, which afterwards characterized his son, has not been
recorded. This James T.’s first appearance as a candidate for political
fame, was when he served the office of Sheriff, with Sawbridge, and
perhaps the same office has never since been filled by such individuals,
possessing, in such entire unison, qualities so eccentric. It is
not intended to write T.’s life, though it deserves a place in our
biographical collections, far better than many which there make their
appearance.
The principal upon which he seemingly acted, was to resist government in
every thing, though this was hardly fair on the score of gratitude. He
married a natural daughter of the last Lord C. who left Mrs. T. all his
estates, which were very large indeed, but as she had been born abroad,
and had never been naturalized, the estates were forfeited to the crown.
The then Lord Holland had an intimate political connection with Mr. T.’s
father, and through his parliamentary interest, the estates were restored
to Lord C.’s daughter, and confirmed to her by act of Parliament.
This liberality had, however, no sort of influence on his conduct;
his own opinion on any subject was the standard of right, and _fari
quid sentiat_, his motto. During the time of his serving the office
of Sheriff, it was thought expedient by government to execute some
rioters in Spital-fields, in the neighbourhood where the offence had
been committed. This he and his brother Sheriff strenuously resisted,
contending they were not justified in seeing the sentence of the law put
in force, except at the usual place of execution. They were, however,
obliged to give way. Upon another occasion, he resisted the payment of
the land-tax, and suffered his effects to be seized at T. from the excuse
that in the case of Wilkes and Lutterell, the county of Middlesex was not
legally represented.
He had great natural eloquence, though he had not taken much pains in the
cultivation of his mind; and he always commanded attention in the House
of Commons, where he once very narrowly escaped being sent to the Tower,
in consequence of some intemperate expressions against the Princess
Dowager of Wales. His most particular friends were Lord Shelburne and
Colonel Barré. He represented Calne, Lord Shelburne’s borough, and when
in town, always resided in his Lordship’s house. Whatever may be thought
of his politics, though they certainly were of a mischievous tendency,
he was a firm and steady friend, and so tenacious of his promise, that
he would leave the remotest part of the kingdom, and the most delightful
society, to attend and give his vote at Guildhall, though for the meanest
individual, and the humblest office. He was very proud and tenacious of
his dignity among the great, though of the most conciliating affability
with his inferiors. He would travel from one end of the kingdom to the
other without a servant, and with a small change of linen in a leathern
trunk behind the saddle.
The Sexagenarian once accompanied him on a fishing excursion, in a remote
province, and he chose, in the kitchen of the village-alehouse, where
they stopped for refreshment, to dress some of the fish that had been
caught. A labouring man came in to enquire of the landlord how to get a
letter to London _at least expence_. “Give me your letter,” said Mr. T.
“and it shall cost nothing.” He accordingly asked for pen and ink, and
franked it, to the great amazement of seven or eight peasants, who were
standing about to see the novel spectacle of a Gemman dressing his own
fish.
A great deal more might be said, and not without exciting interest, of
this singular character, but it appears that our friend’s memorandums
must be curtailed; they would otherwise extend to too great a length.
With the exception of Lord Shelburne and Colonel Barré, Mr. T.’s
political friends varied somewhat with times and circumstances. He was
once very intimate with Lord Thurlow, with Horne Tooke, with Sawbridge,
and Oliver, and Wilkes, and many similar characters of that day, but
before his death, these connections ceased altogether.
His son, it seems, partook of his father’s enthusiasm, or what they
mutually understood to be the cause of liberty, and attached himself to
the flaming patriots of the day.
The London Aldermen of those days, at least it is true of many among
them, were in some respects different from those of the present. There
were not a few individuals of birth and fortune, but little connected
with commerce, who used their influence to obtain the Aldermanic gown,
entirely from political views and purposes; such was Mr. T. and such
also was Sawbridge.
Mr. Sawbridge was a country gentleman, with no city connections, but
ardent in his politics, and exasperated against government, for what
he considered as a violation of the constitution, in not permitting
Wilkes to sit as representative for Middlesex. He at that time sate in
Parliament for one of the Cinque Ports, and so distinguished himself by
the part he took in favour of Wilkes, that he became exceedingly popular
with the citizens of London, who, before he was an Alderman, elected
him with T, to the office of Sheriff. He was in due time both Alderman
and Lord Mayor, and afterwards represented the city of London in three
succeeding parliaments.
He was a violent and constant opposer of the American war, and a
systematic advocate for parliamentary reform; and during the whole of the
time that he had a seat in the house, he never failed to make an annual
motion to shorten the duration of parliament.
He was a perfect gentleman in his manners, and very little calculated
to assimilate with those, into whose intimate society, his political
enmities and prejudices introduced him.
Another of this circle was Mr. Oliver; he was a West India merchant, and
in his external manners, the perfect gentleman.
The circumstance which first introduced him to city honours and political
importance, was alike whimsical and accidental. He had a brother, who,
on some vacancy for the representation of London, had declared himself
a candidate with much prospect of success. He was, however, seized
with a violent and dangerous sickness, which prevented his appearing
on the hustings on the day of nomination. On this day, however, Mr.
Richard Oliver, the subject of the present sketch, presented himself to
the citizens, and lamented that the condition of his brother’s health
rendered it impossible for him to avail himself of the honours which
probably awaited him; but that he who now addressed them, attached to
the same party, governed by the same principles, and possessed of equal
independence, begged them to transfer the kindness they meditated for his
brother, to himself. He succeeded without opposition, and in the interval
between the day of nomination and election, was chosen an Alderman, and
was afterwards Lord Mayor.
Of all the political popular characters of his day, Mr. Oliver, perhaps,
was most consistently tenacious of the principles which he first avowed.
This he exemplified more particularly with respect to Wilkes. As soon as
he began to suspect that Wilkes was actuated by other motives, and had
other views beyond those which they vindicated and pursued in common, he
withdrew himself entirely from the Connection, and obstinately refused to
serve the office of Sheriff with Wilkes as a colleague.
Some few years afterwards, and towards the conclusion of the American
war, in despair, as he observed in a speech to the Corporation of London,
of seeing greater wisdom in the measures of government, he resigned both
his Aldermanic gown and seat in Parliament. He then went to visit his
estate in the West Indies, where, after remaining some time, he proceeded
on his return to England, and died in the voyage on board the packet.
Very different from the above individuals in almost every particular,
was BRASS CROSBY, of whom there is hardly any thing more memorable, than
that with Oliver, he demonstrated considerable firmness in the affair of
the Printers, and was with him committed to the Tower, for a supposed
breach of the privileges of parliament. But he was a man of no talents,
of coarse appearance, and rude manners.
To the above conclave also belonged RICHARD BECKFORD, a natural son of
the celebrated Alderman Beckford, and a mighty lover of liberty; but he
was also no less famous as a lover of something else, and that was of
eating and drinking. If there shall be any one surviving who personally
knew, and can remember him, they will allow that seldom has a more worthy
candidate been seen for a place at the Round Table of the Knights of
Heliogabalus.
His prowess in this way was enormous. If he had only two bottles of
Madeira at dinner, he thought himself stinted, and even after a more
copious portion, would not unfrequently go in the evening to some of
the fashionable club-houses in the vicinity of St. James’s-street,
and repeat the dose. He was a remarkably large uncouth man, and had a
convulsive infirmity in his head and neck, which made conversation with
him exceedingly unpleasant.
Of Colonel Barré and Lord Shelburne, it must be unnecessary to say
any thing. They might be considered as the fulcrum, upon which this
political association rested; but there is one individual of whom it
may be expedient to say a little more, and this was G⸺e B⸺s. He was a
most perfect, noisy, turbulent demagogue; a great clamourer for liberty,
and like all such, sour, surly, and tyrannical in his own family. He
expressed a great contempt for women generally, and appeared to have had
a remarkable aversion to what are considered as female accomplishments.
In consequence of these absurd prejudices, he was particularly harsh
to his wife and daughters, and refused the latter the opportunity of
acquiring the commonest and more essential attainments. They trembled at
his appearance, and exulted, with unaffected satisfaction, whenever any
unexpected incident detained him from his family.
He was what in city language is termed a Deputy, that is, the
representative of the alderman of the ward, in his absence. He was a man
of strong sense, and by flattering his vanity, he was found exceedingly
useful to his party at Common Halls, Courts of Common Council, and
Ward Meetings. It was the fashion of that day, and it appears to have
continued to the present period, to insult Royalty by insolent attacks,
under the names of petitions and remonstrances. On such occasions, the
personage here alluded to was always a conspicuous performer.
He had a son, who, bating that he inherited his paternal foibles, as they
related to party and politics, was a sensible and accomplished gentleman.
He, however, died prematurely.
There were other individuals of this fraternity, but of less notorious
importance. The ligature, however, which held them all together, was
first weakened, and finally dissolved.
En ego non paucis quondam munitus amicis
Dum flavit velis aura secunda meis,
Ut fera ninboso tumuerunt æquora vento
In mediis lacera puppe relinquor aquis,
Cumque alii nolint etiam me nosse videri
Vix duo projecto tresve tulistis opem
Quorum tu princeps.